PROOF OF GENIUS #04 — UX & RESEARCH Design Starts with Understanding

At a Glance

Creator
: Peter van de Geer, Communication & Multimedia Design (CMD) student

Specialization
: UX Design & Research

Projects
Research on inclusive interaction, haptic interfaces, and voice interfaces · Internship research within the Responsible IT research group in a museum setting

Recognition
: Selected for the Golden Dot Awards (GDA)

Ambition
: To design digital services that are human-centered, accessible, and socially responsible.

 

The problem: designing based on assumptions

Many digital products are designed with technology or speed as the primary focus. This creates the risk that designers will come up with solutions without truly understanding what users need. AI speeds up the design process, but it can also tempt designers to skip important steps.

For Peter, good design therefore always starts with research. Only when you understand how people think, act, and make decisions can you design something that truly adds value.

 

The approach: understand first, then design

“Good design doesn’t start in Figma.”

For Peter, research forms the foundation of every design process. He combines user research with curiosity and a strong analytical mindset. In doing so, he looks not only at what users do, but especially at why they do it.

Ethics also play an important role. During projects, he consciously explores how a design could be misused. By also considering the worst-case scenarios, he believes this leads to more robust and fairer solutions.

He likes to use AI, but only as a tool. Technology should support the thinking process, never replace it.

 

The Solution

During an earlier specialization project, Peter investigated how interaction can be designed to engage different senses. In doing so, he developed prototypes centered on sensory experience and delved into haptic interaction and voice interfaces for people who are blind or visually impaired.

During his internship at the Responsible IT research group, he then worked on research within a museum setting. There, he investigated how interactive technology can support visitors without losing sight of the human experience.

Both projects are centered on the same conviction: technology must adapt to people, not the other way around.

 

The Impact

Being selected for the Golden Dot Awards came as a surprise to Peter.

Precisely because he focuses primarily on research, ethics, and the quality of the design process, the nomination felt like confirmation that this approach is valued.

His projects demonstrate that UX design goes far beyond designing attractive screens. It’s about understanding, researching, and then developing solutions that actually help people.

“What this second-year team has accomplished exceeds all expectations.” “A fully executed project, with high-quality, relevant insights and demonstrable added value. That’s why it’s a more than worthy candidate for the Golden Dot.” Yuri Westplat

 

The creator: curious about people

Peter describes himself as curious, eager to learn, and constantly seeking new knowledge. In addition to UX, he delves into 3D modeling, animation, and programming, always driven by the desire to further expand his toolkit.

Within CMD’s view of humanity, he strongly identifies with the Homo Universalis: broadly interested, inquisitive, and unafraid to connect different disciplines.

Making mistakes is, of course, part of the process.

“That’s exactly how you learn.”

 

Why This Matters

As AI becomes increasingly capable of automating design work, the human role of designers is becoming more important than ever.

Not because humans design faster than AI, but because they give meaning to technology. They have conversations, understand context, weigh ethical dilemmas, and ultimately determine why something should be designed.

The fact that an inquisitive, human-centered designer like Peter is recognized at the Golden Dot Awards underscores where the future of UX truly lies: not in smarter tools, but in a better understanding of people.

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