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HELPING PEople grow through design

Growing People

Over the years, I've realised that some of the most meaningful design work doesn't end with a project. It stays with the people who continue asking better questions afterwards.


Whether I'm supervising students, mentoring junior colleagues or facilitating workshops with multidisciplinary teams, my goal is the same: to create the conditions where people become more curious, collaborate with confidence and continue learning together.

Over the years, I’ve realised that some of the most meaningful design work doesn’t end with a project. It stays with the people who continue asking better questions afterwards.


Whether I’m supervising students, mentoring junior colleagues or facilitating workshops with multidisciplinary teams, my goal is the same: to create the conditions where people become more curious, collaborate with confidence and continue learning together.

Theme

Learning through design

Experience

10+ years

Ways I contribute

Teaching · Mentoring· Facilitation

Impact

Academia · Industry · Europe · Asia

I create conditions for …

Learning Together

Teaching has probably taught me more than any course I've ever designed.

Early in my career, I thought teaching meant sharing knowledge. Over time, I realised my role was something different: creating the conditions where people discover their own understanding through conversation, reflection and making together.

Working with university students, design professionals and multidisciplinary teams has taught me that every group learns differently. Students remind me to stay curious. Professionals remind me that organisational change is rarely straightforward. Working across cultures reminds me that there is never only one way of seeing a problem.

Those experiences continue to shape how I design services, facilitate workshops and conduct research.

Teaching has probably taught me more than any course I’ve ever designed.

Early in my career, I thought teaching meant sharing knowledge. Over time, I realised my role was something different: creating the conditions where people discover their own understanding through conversation, reflection and making together.

Working with university students, design professionals and multidisciplinary teams has taught me that every group learns differently. Students remind me to stay curious. Professionals remind me that organisational change is rarely straightforward. Working across cultures reminds me that there is never only one way of seeing a problem.

Those experiences continue to shape how I design services, facilitate workshops and conduct research.


Design professionals

Building confidence


Design professionals

Building confidence


Students

Growing curiosity.


Students

Growing curiosity.

Organisations

Building shared understanding.

Organisations

Building shared understanding.

I leave behind…

What people remember

The most meaningful part of teaching isn't what I present. It's what people carry with them afterwards.

Whether working with students in the Netherlands, facilitating international workshops in Aisa, or mentoring colleagues, the feedback I value most is rarely about the methods. It's about the confidence, curiosity and connections people continue building long after we've worked together.

One thing I've learned from working with Chen is that connection comes before content. She creates the trust that allows people to think, learn and collaborate together.

— Former senior colleague

"Thank you for embracing all my Post-its, brown papers and prototypes. Your guidance taught me a lot."

— Master's graduation student

“You have a natural ability to support and develop the people around you. Through thoughtful coaching and genuine curiosity, you create an environment where people feel confident to grow.”

— Junior design colleague

"You combine clarity with care. Whether simplifying a complex framework or facilitating a workshop, every detail reflects respect for both the people and the process."

— Head of Research Services, TU Delft Library

" Chen kept challenging me throughout the project, which made me learn an enormous amount."

— Master's graduation student

Looking back

I don't think the biggest impact has been the workshops themselves. It's seeing former students become design professionals, watching teams continue conversations months later, and realising that curiosity can spread long after a project has ended.


Helping people grow has become one of the ways I continue growing myself.

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"Chen kept challenging me throughout the project, which made me learn an enormous amount."


— former Master's student