Industrial Design (WO)

Master’s Objective

At the start of the master’s, I wrote in my application: “My main desire is to connect stakeholders, strategically build bridges, and inspire with creativity while keeping technical and financial feasibility in mind. One day, I hope to grow into a position where I can support, consult, or lead a team that allows clients to dream and help them bring their dreams to life. Innovation being the keyword, I love to develop and guide the process behind a creative project. Maintaining flexibility and assuring a successful outcome with profitability for all parties” (Raaphorst, 2021-02).


During my premaster I refined: “The front-end of the design process, where an idea is shaped, is what’s interesting to me. Here, the incentive of a design concept is determined, which determines how it’ll perform in the hands of the end-user and how it will impact their lives. As such, I aim to become a Strategic Innovation Consultant” (Raaphorst, 2021-09).


I set ambitious learning goals. I wanted to grow my theoretical knowledge and experiment with end-to-end product propositions, project processes, creative methodologies, and business alignment, as these appeared to be the key elements holding me back in pivoting toward the front end of the process within my career at VanBerlo. Therefore, I aimed to collect and map tools, methods, and techniques related to Innovation, hoping to find or create a ‘universal innovation approach’ to facilitate innovative processes for companies effectively.


I believe that companies have the most potential for rapid, disruptive innovation but are also limited, as market pressure does not always align with my intrinsic values. Therefore I aimed to develop an  innovation approach that allowed me a more independent way of working to allow myself more creative freedom. Next to this, I experienced that only those with strong leadership capabilities were part of the strategic phase. For these reasons, I decided to follow the DLE track and focus on the BE expertise area.


Since I wanted to collect and create innovative methods and processes to engage creative organizational behavior and impact end-user experience, I prioritized CA and US over the TR and MDC expertise areas.

This Table below provides an overview of my complete master’s, covering the key topics, methods, or approaches explored and applied for each course.

The Main projects I conducted:

The courses I followed:

PROJECTS

  • Final Master Project

    My final master project, built on a semester-long preparatory phase, focused on creating a Synergy Creation Process to merge Accenture and VanBerlo’s operations. Through iterative design and testing, I developed expertise in balancing innovation and efficiency, while enhancing leadership and collaboration skills in complex organizational settings.

  • Design for Behavioral Change

    The “Design for Behavioral Change” course covered key behavior change theories like Self-Determination Theory, Theory of Planned Behavior, and the Transtheoretical Model. In our group project, we designed an intervention to reduce stigma around repaired clothing, combining a supermarket campaign and DIY toolkit, promoting sustainable fashion through behavior change strategies.

  • Values based leadership in business innovation

    A holistic approach to design leadership emphasizes collaboration, creativity, and adaptability. It uses metaphors like soccer teamwork, a conductor’s orchestration, and quantum entanglement to reflect how design leadership harmonizes team dynamics and influences outcomes, balancing structure and creativity, even within corporate environments.

  • Generating Motivation for Diertary Behaviour Change

    I researched how GPT-4 can generate motivational text messages to support dietary behavior change, addressing obesity prevention. By comparing AI-generated messages with handcrafted ones, I evaluated their effectiveness through a collaboration with dieticians. This project deepened my expertise in AI integration, behavior change, and ethical design in healthcare.

  • Games & Play

    In the Games & Play III course, I co-developed LaserHoops, an interactive play object transforming spaces into dynamic playgrounds. The project integrated game design theories and user testing to create a playful, sensor-driven experience, fostering movement, teamwork, and social interaction. It reinforced my belief in play for behavior change.

  • From Brief to Contract: Abductive Initiation for Dynamic Projects

    From Brief to Contract: Abductive Initiation for Dynamic Projects In this research project, I explored the intersection between innovation, project management, and design thinking. My study focused on understanding how dynamic projects, often characterized by uncertain outcomes, can be initiated effectively, particularly in the early stages when problem framing and alignment between stakeholders are crucial.…

  • Strategy & Technology Management

    I completed a research paper on open innovation as part of the Strategy & Technology Management course. Focusing on Brainport Eindhoven and Mainport Rotterdam, we analyzed university-industry collaborations through patent data, exploring how these partnerships drive regional innovation and economic growth, enhancing my strategic and technological management skills.

  • Constructive Design Research

    As part of the Constructive Design Research course, I co-authored a paper exploring how participatory storytelling can enhance collaboration in multidisciplinary teams. By facilitating shared vision-making, the research demonstrated how storytelling fosters mutual understanding and alignment, offering a valuable tool for solving complex, real-world problems in collaborative environments.

  • Design Innovation Strategies

    Design Innovation Strategies In the Design Innovation Strategies course, I collaborated with an amazing team to create SecretAIry—an AI-powered plug-in for learning management systems like Canvas. This tool aims to reduce student stress by automating the organization of meeting notes, tasks, and schedules. With 70% of students willing to test the product, SecretAIry shows strong…

  • Cartography of Transforming Practices

    “Cartography of Transforming Practices” presents a toolkit for navigating complex design challenges. Through workshops and iterative testing, the toolkit guides users in mapping complexity using experiential and reflective methods. It fosters personal and external transformation by helping participants embrace uncertainty and develop deeper insights.

  • Research Methods

    During my master’s in Industrial Design at TU/e, I deepened my expertise in behavioural research methods. I explored sorting techniques in an individual project, enhancing my data analysis skills. In a group study, we examined first-person perspective challenges in design, offering insights to improve design education and foster empathetic innovation.

  • A word about complexity

    Our perception of reality is shaped by our limited senses, evolved for survival, which filter out much of the true complexity of the world. While science helps us uncover universal truths, our subjective experiences and biases influence how we interpret reality, making each individual’s understanding uniquely different.

  • Creating Corporate Entrepreneurship

    The Creating Corporate Entrepreneurship course explored blending innovation with business strategies. Our team developed Reva, a platform supporting cardiac recovery through community, tailored health insights, and social motivation. Key learnings included the importance of collaboration, business model innovation, privacy, and building profitable yet user-focused digital health solutions.

  • User-Centered Design

    The User-Centered Design course taught me to prioritize user needs throughout the design process. I gained skills in user research, data analysis, and concept development, applying these in assignments like redesigning interfaces and creating personas. Our final project, Match & Dine, focused on inclusive, social interaction through a dining app.

  • Trends & Forecasting

    The “Trends and Forecasting” course explored trendwatching, strategic design, and Design DNA, combining theoretical knowledge with hands-on experience at international fairs. Key topics included identifying mega and consumer trends, storytelling, and networking. It equipped me with tools to anticipate market shifts and apply strategic insights in design projects.

  • ChefPrep

    I collaborated with the Inclusive Design and Thoughtful Technology squad at TU Eindhoven, Wageningen University, and UMC Utrecht to develop ChefPrep, an app supporting teenagers in building heart-healthy eating habits. Using a user-centered design approach, the app encourages teens to discover and plan meals through fun, persuasive design. ChefPrep promotes long-term healthy habits, fostering autonomy…

  • Flipped

    Flipped is a game designed to strengthen friendships by comparing interests, values, and encouraging group reflection. As players progress through levels, the questions become more intimate, fostering deeper connections. By the end, players build a “house of cards” symbolizing the bonds formed through shared experiences and differences, creating a fun and meaningful experience.

  • Creative Programming

    Pre-master assignment consisting of two parts, firstly coding in Proccesing to create codebased art and secondly, connectinga java based computer interface to Arduino with various sensors and actuators.(resulting in the sketchmaster design)