Hi there. I'm Gijs de Beer, a freelance product designer. I make things simple, yet a joy to use. Products that add value and have meaning, for clients big and small. I love what I do!

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NOS

The NOS apps are used daily by millions of Dutch to keep up to date with news and sports. Which makes this a fantastic project, since every change has to be carefully thought through. Together with the team, we took an approach of small but constant improvements. Making all apps over all platforms more consistent by putting the focus on the content.

Client: NOS, Dutch Broadcasting Foundation, 2013 - current
Interaction design, Visual design, User research

Playtest

Playtest is a product I co-founded with Blue Giraffe. Our goal is to change how game studios create games: by providing continuous insights from real people and by building a fan base from day one. Release your game together with your fans.

Co-founder, 2014 - current
Concept, Interaction design, Visual design, User research, Frontend development

NOS Jeugdjournaal

'Het Jeugdjournaal' is aimed at children aged 8 to 12. It was the news program I grew up with as a child, so being part of the team to create it's very first app was amazing. We put the focus again on content, like it's bigger brother, but at the same time allowed children to discover and get involved with 'Het Jeugdjournaal'. Think: polls, photo upload, favoriting and more info about countries.

Client: NOS, Dutch Broadcasting Foundation, 2013 - current
Interaction design, Visual design, User research

Gynzy Kids

Gynzy has been my very first client and I'm happy to be working with them still. With their intuitive and effective teaching environment they're helping US primary schools make best use of smartboards. Their latest product, Gynzy Kids, is aimed at both teachers and children and works on all platforms. It allows teachers to control what children learn and when, in a fun and stimulating way.

Client: Gynzy, 2010-now
Concept, Interaction design, Visuel design, User research

Imbu Asset Monitoring

Another client I've had the pleasure to work with for years is Imbu Asset Monitoring. They offer an app and website that monitors remote machinery on oil fields: turbines, pumps, compressors. Aa a small startup, they're constantly evolving and improving their product.

Client: Imbu asset monitoring, 2011 - current
Interaction design, Visual design, User research

Rabobank

Together with app studio Touchwonders we made a range of three business apps for Dutch Rabobank, aimed at their biggest clients. A range of apps that shows that business apps can be very informative and fun to use at the same time. We worked close together with the Rabobank teams to present the sometimes complex financial data as simple as possible.

Client: Touchwonders for Rabobank, 2014
Interaction design, Visual design, User research

Weeronline

There are literally hundreds of weather apps. So when Dutch Weeronline asked Touchwonders to create a weather app for iPad, I was happy to help but equally daunted by the task ahead. We analysed A LOT of weather apps through several creative sessions with the Weeronline team and found that most weather apps where either very fancy or very detailed. But what people look for in a weather forecast depends on your personal interests, time of day and on location.
So, we wanted to create a different kind of weather app. One where you could create your own forecast. Weeronline took that leap of faith.

Client: Touchwonders for Weeronline, 2013
Concept, Interaction design

Groove.me

Part of my English I've learned through music, movies and books. So when I got the change to work with Blink publishers and Gynzy on a product teaching Dutch kids English through music, I was sold immediately.
We visited several schools and worked together with them on early prototypes to check these assumptions. We combined that with research that showed kids learn even better if you make it actionable: stand up when you see the words 'stand up'. Plus we found a visual style that wasn't as childish as current products on the market, like most kids told us. Groove.me was an instant hit and now helps kids learn English in a fun and effective way.

Client: Groove.me, 2012-2013
Concept, Interaction design, Visuel design, User testing

References

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