30/8/2022
Experiment designer-in-training Mathijs: 'Throw me to the lions!'
Mathijs Terranea started two years ago as an experimental designer-in-training at MakerLab. Fresh out of school, he arrived. He has since become a true 'MakerLabber' at heart. How did he experience the learning period? And how is he doing now? We talk to Mathijs about his experiences.
Experiment designer-in-training... why did you choose that?
"In the past, I wanted to become an inventor. However, it's not something you can study for; you either are one or you're not. The study of Industrial Design seemed to me to come closest to that and fit me best. That's where I truly learned to innovate. I derive a lot of energy from creating 'something' out of 'nothing'. Particularly, I find developing a concept interesting, working on innovative ideas. And that's precisely what you do as an experiment designer at MakerLab.
I ultimately ended up at MakerLab through someone from the surf club. At the time, I didn't really know what experiment design entailed. That's why I first met up with Sander (Partner at MakerLab) for a coffee. It was an immediate match."
Tell me, what exactly do experiment designers do?
"Companies and organizations turn to MakerLab when they encounter a problem or seek improvement in a certain area. Using lean innovation, we strive to find a balance between their customers' needs, technical capabilities, and the impact on the organization. We conduct research, which results in propositions with certain assumptions. We then proceed to carry out swift experiments to (in)validate the assumptions and test the propositions."
Learning to innovate, how does it work?
"At MakerLab, depending on your individual needs, you will be sent out into the field as quickly as possible. It's truly a learning by doingapproach. Before you start, you will participate in an onboarding process where you will learn about innovation and how we implement it within MakerLab. You will also gain an understanding of what experiment design entails. Additionally, new MakerLab members will take a course on the use of lean innovation.
After that, you are ready to explore the working field. Well, to shadow, actually. I shadowed at Centraal Beheer myself. It was a large project with four colleagues working on it. It was a safe environment where I could ask questions. What exactly do you do? How can I contribute to this? The first two weeks were more of an observing period, but after that, I fully participated. I ultimately worked on this project for six months, and it was incredibly educational."
You are now a true innovation professional. How have you experienced MakerLab over the past two years?
"For me, MakerLab is the ultimate place to develop myself. The playing field is very broad due to the variety of clients and projects. The work also varies greatly: no project is the same. Sometimes I work in an investigative manner, and other times I'm experimenting intensely.
I have a lot of freedom to choose the direction in which I want to develop myself. I can tell Sander what I would like to learn, and he then selects a project where I can develop those skills. I always tell Sander: 'Throw me to the lions!'
My area of interest is quite vast; I want to know a bit about everything. Some colleagues, on the other hand, find it fascinating to specialize in a particular field.."
Which assignment did you learn the most from?
From an ongoing project at a financial services provider. One of the propositions was 'investing together.' We had made a lot of progress, but unfortunately, legal and regulatory constraints held us back, preventing some things from being possible. It felt really frustrating; we had been working on it for so long. This idea is now on hold for the time being."
That's a bummer. How did it go with the client?
"Get up and carry on. Within the same project, we have continued by taking a different path. Investing for your child is indeed possible. We are currently shaping this, together with the client. Soon, a proposition will be added to the website. A campaign will also be launched for it. So, it's now a matter of testing with the general public to see if the idea resonates.
This really feels like a victory. Especially considering that the initial idea had a dead-end. You also have to experience something like that at least once; it's part of the process. If everything goes well, you don't have any learning moments."
You're right about that. What makes MakerLab such a fine learning environment?
"You can approach anyone on the team when you're facing a challenge. Each colleague has different skills and experiences, so there's always someone who can assist you. Additionally, we all share the same mindset. We are very open and eager to help each other progress to the next level. This makes it a close-knit team and a pleasant learning environment."