Product Designer (UI/UX)
& Visual Developer

Michel
Kerkmeester

Personal Portfolio: Issue N°01 '22

Product Designer
& Visual Developer

Hi!
Waving hand Emoji
My name is Michel Kerkmeester
Portrait Photo of Michel Kerkmeester

As a designer with more than 10 years' experience, first in Advertising and now in Product Design;
I create user-friendly digital products that reflect your brand's core values and meets the needs of business and user.

Currently working
at Dataprovider
Based in The Netherlands,
available worldwide

Designer based in The Netherlands,
with a passion for design, tech & futurism

Growing up, I was really fascinated by technology and the visual world around me. My curiosity to understand how things were made and how they functioned led me to experiment with website builders and tools such as Photoshop from an early age.

Today, I have a passion for all things tech and design, and I believe that it is crucial to build products and services that will help shape a better future. Therefore I always strive to stay on top of the latest trends, tools and technologies to be able to make an impact with my work.

Hi!
Waving Hand Emoji
My name is Michel Kerkmeester
I'm Michel Kerkmeester

Product Designer
& Visual Developer

As a designer with more than 10 years' experience, first in Advertising and now in Product Design.

I create user-friendly digital products that reflect your brand's core values and meets the needs of business and user.

Services

Having a broad range of experience allows me to offer a variety of services, below are the ones I am focusing on at this time in my career.

Product Design
01

|

UX Research
02
Design System Design
03

|

Prototyping
04
Web Development
05

|

Automation
06

Services

Having a broad range of experience allows me to offer a variety of services, below are the ones I am focusing on at this time in my career.

Product Design
01

|

UX Research
02
Design Systems
03

|

Prototyping
04
Web Development
05

|

Automation
06

My preferred tools of choice for building
digital products and websites

Product Design
Visual Design

My preferred tools of choice for building digital products and websites

Design
Development

Dev.

Automation

Common Questions

Everything you need to know
What does your process look like?
01

No matter how complex or simple the project is, I follow these three steps:

1) In order to understand your business and user needs, I immerse myself in your world, research your competitors and do whatever other research is required for the project, this could be usability testing, user interviews, surveys, etc.

2) It will then be time to design wireframes, create the specific design style and UX solution that I will present to you, the client, or other stakeholders. This solution will then be iterated on or finalized into high-fidelity designs based on your feedback.

3) Once that is all set and done, and if it was a complex digital product, I will make everything ready for the developer hand-off and plan a meeting with the development team if needed. Alternatively, if it is a product or website that is suitable for building with a No/Low-Code tool, then I am able to build it myself.

What do you specialize in?
02

Currently I specialize in Product Design, I design complex products and websites. Due to my background as a Graphic Designer in an agency environment, I have a unique perspective when it comes to areas such as UI Design and Design Thinking. These areas have also been the focus of my recent work.

Besides design, I have been active in Low-Code Development, using Webflow and Toddle as my primary tools. I am also learning some code on the side, to enhance my projects (GSAP) and gain a better understanding of how the web works.

What does a Visual Developer do?
03

A Visual Developer's role involves developing applications, websites and workflows using a wide range of No or Low-Code tools. You can recognise these tools by drag-and-drop solutions that allow you to develop visually, and where writing code is optional.

To use these tools effectively, you need a solid understanding of web development. You may or may not know how to code, that is entirely up to you. However, knowing how to code has a number of perks, like having the ability to add code on top to create more complex functionality and interactions.

The main advantage of this method is that something can be built in a fraction of the usual time and cost. Also, designers that are skilled in these development tools are more likely to be able to implement your design exactly as you envisioned it.

Do you take on freelance projects?
04

Yes, but I focus exclusively on longer-term freelance or contract opportunities.

Having worked on individual projects, I found them too fleeting and would rather work on something where I can make a long-lasting impact and integrate with the team.

What is your hourly rate?
05

My base rate is €90 per hour, reflecting the quality and efficiency of my work. However, I understand the importance of building long-term relationships and rewarding commitment. For projects with significant potential or for clients looking to purchase hours in bulk, I’m open to negotiating a discounted rate, which can range anywhere from €65 to €85 per hour.

I track only the hours that are 100% effective, meaning you’re never charged for any unproductive time. This guarantees that you receive maximum value for your money, as every euro spent directly contributes to the progress and success of your project.

Are you willing to relocate?
06

Currently, I am not interested in relocating, but I am willing to travel to any city in The Netherlands within a three-hour radius of Groningen for one or two days a week maximum. Over the past three years, I have primarily worked in the city or remotely, and I have proven to be proficient at communicating effectively with international teams within remote-first companies.

Common Questions

Everything you need to know
What does your process look like?

No matter how complex or simple the project is, I follow these three steps:

1) In order to understand your business and user needs, I immerse myself in your world, research your competitors and do whatever other research is required for the project, this could be usability testing, user interviews, surveys, etc.

2) It will then be time to design wireframes, create the specific design style and UX solution that I will present to you, the client, or other stakeholders. This solution will then be iterated on or finalized into high-fidelity designs based on your feedback.

3) Once that is all set and done, and if it was a complex digital product, I will make everything ready for the developer hand-off and plan a meeting with the development team if needed. Alternatively, if it is a product or website that is suitable for building with a No/Low-Code tool, then I am able to build it myself.

What do you specialize in?
02

Currently I specialize in Product Design, I design complex products and websites. Due to my background as a Graphic Designer in an agency environment, I have a unique perspective when it comes to areas such as UI Design and Design Thinking.

Besides design, I have been active in Low-Code Development, using Webflow and Toddle as my primary tools. I am also learning some code on the side, to enhance my projects (GSAP) and gain a better understanding of how the web works.

What does a Visual Developer do?
03

A Visual Developer's role involves developing applications, websites and workflows using a wide range of No or Low-Code tools. You can recognise these tools by drag-and-drop solutions that allow you to develop visually, and where writing code is optional

To use these tools effectively, you need a solid understanding of web development. You may or may not know how to code, that is entirely up to you. However, knowing how to code has a number of perks, like having the ability to add code on top to create more complex functionality and interactions.

The main advantage of this method is that something can be built in a fraction of the usual time and cost. Also, designers that are skilled in these development tools are more likely to be able to implement your design exactly as you envisioned it.

Do you take on freelance projects?
04

Yes, but I focus exclusively on longer-term freelance or contract opportunities.

Having worked on individual projects, I found them too fleeting and would rather work on something where I can make a long-lasting impact and integrate with the team.

What is your hourly rate?
05

My base rate is €90 per hour, reflecting the quality and efficiency of my work. However, I understand the importance of building long-term relationships and rewarding commitment. For projects with significant potential or for clients looking to purchase hours in bulk, I’m open to negotiating a discounted rate, which can range anywhere from €65 to €85 per hour.

I track only the hours that are 100% effective, meaning you’re never charged for any unproductive time. This guarantees that you receive maximum value for your money, as every euro spent directly contributes to the progress and success of your project.

Are you willing to relocate?
06

Currently, I am not interested in relocating, but I am willing to travel to any city in The Netherlands within a three-hour radius of Groningen for one or two days a week maximum.

Over the past three years, I have primarily worked in the city or remotely, and I have proven to be proficient at communicating effectively with international teams within remote-first companies.

Testimonials

What the people I’ve worked with say about me
Portrait Photo of Annelle Stotz from Cognizant

Michel is a Figma super user! I hired Michel as a contractor to support one of the project teams in building out a design system. What impressed me most about Michel is his ability to quickly understand the landscape and make a noticeable impact, specifically organizing and advancing the design system. He is proactive, detail oriented and very well organized. I highly recommend him if you need to get the job done!

Annelle Stotz
Associate Director @ Cognizant


Portrait Photo of Brendan Weaver from Underdog Studio

Michel was an integral part of our agency's rebranding and new web experience. With his help we were able to rethink our public facing site with something that was more user friendly and optimized for changes and future implementations. Michel is a true asset to the Underdog family and he will continue to be our trusted Webflow designer/developer moving forward.

Brendan Weaver
Managing Partner @ Underdog Studio


Portrait Photo of Robbert De Jong from Printman and Simply Designed

Time and again Michel is the person who knows exactly what you want and he manages to deliver a beautiful piece of work that exactly matches your wishes. A nice person to work with! I can really recommend him.

Robbert de Jong
Business Partner @ Printman


Testimonials
What they say about me
Portrait Photo of Brendan Weaver from Underdog Studio

Michel is a Figma super user! I hired Michel as a contractor to support one of the project teams in building out a design system. What impressed me most about Michel is his ability to quickly understand the landscape and make a noticeable impact, specifically organizing and advancing the design system. He is proactive, detail oriented and very well organized. I highly recommend him if you need to get the job done!

Michel is a Figma super user! I hired Michel as a contractor to support one of the project teams in building out a design system. What impressed me most about Michel is his ability to quickly understand the landscape and make a noticeable impact, specifically organizing and advancing the design system. He is proactive, detail oriented and very well organized. I highly recommend him if you need to get the job done!

Portrait Photo of Annelle Stotz from Cognizant
Annelle Stotz
Associate Director  @ Cognizant
Annelle Stotz
@ Cognizant


Portrait Photo of Brendan Weaver from Underdog Studio

Michel was an integral part of our agency's rebranding and new web experience. With his help we were able to rethink our public facing site with something that was more user friendly and optimized for changes and future implementations. Michel is a true asset to the Underdog family and he will continue to be our trusted Webflow designer/developer moving forward.

Michel was an integral part of our agency's rebranding and new web experience. With his help we were able to rethink our public facing site with something that was more user friendly and optimized for changes and future implementations. Michel is a true asset to the Underdog family and he will continue to be our trusted Webflow designer/developer moving forward.

Portrait Photo of Brendan Weaver from Underdog Studio
Brendan Weaver
Managing Partner @ Underdog Studio
Brendan Weaver
Managing Partner
@ Underdog Studio


Portrait Photo of Robbert De Jong from Printman and Simply Designed

Time and again Michel is the person who knows exactly what you want and he manages to deliver a beautiful piece of work that exactly matches your wishes. A nice person to work with!

Time and again Michel is the person who knows exactly what you want and he manages to deliver a beautiful piece of work that exactly matches your wishes. A nice person to work with!

Portrait Photo of Robbert De Jong from Printman and Simply Designed
Robbert de Jong
Business Partner @ Printman
Robbert de Jong
Business Partner
@ Printman