Jasper de Vries

• Age: 35
• Location: Amsterdam-West, Netherlands
• Occupation: Product Manager
• Income: 85000
• Education: Master's in Information Studies, University of Amsterdam
• Company size: 120
• Years in role: 6

“The best solutions are often the simplest ones, but they require a lot of thinking to uncover.”

Jasper de Vries, a 35-year-old Product Manager based in Amsterdam, embodies a quiet, analytical approach to both his professional and personal life. Growing up in a working-class family in Utrecht, he developed a strong sense of pragmatism and a respect for hard work. He pursued a Master's in Information Studies at the University of Amsterdam, initially intending to work in data analysis, but found himself drawn to the intersection of technology and user experience. After several years at a smaller e-commerce startup, he joined FlowState five years ago, quickly establishing himself as a reliable and insightful member of the product team. His current challenge is navigating the complexities of FlowState's rapid growth, ensuring the product remains user-centric amidst increasing pressure for feature delivery. Recently, Jasper has been grappling with the ethical implications of AI and its impact on the future of work, fueling his interest in side projects with a focus on sustainability and social impact. He's meticulously saving for a down payment on a larger apartment with Elodie, and secretly dreams of one day transitioning to a fully remote role, allowing him more flexibility to pursue his passion for cycling and urban planning.

Background & daily life

A day in their life

Jasper's weekday mornings start around 7:00 am with a quick bike ride to grab coffee and a pastry. He arrives at the FlowState office around 8:15 am, checking emails and prioritizing tasks. The morning is usually dedicated to sprint planning meetings, user interviews, or deep work on product specifications. Lunch is often a simple salad at his desk or a quick bite at a nearby cafe. The afternoon involves collaborating with engineers and designers, reviewing prototypes, and analyzing data. He leaves the office around 6:00 pm, often stopping by the Albert Cuyp Market for groceries. Evenings are spent cooking dinner with Elodie, reading, or working on his side project – a concept for a cycling route planning app focused on sustainability.

Lifestyle

Jasper lives in a renovated canal house apartment in Amsterdam-West, a vibrant and increasingly gentrified neighborhood. He and Elodie prioritize experiences over possessions, favouring weekend cycling trips to nearby towns or exploring new restaurants in the city. He's a diligent cyclist, using his bike for most daily commutes and leisure. Jasper tries to cook most meals, focusing on simple, healthy recipes. He’s mindful of his spending, meticulously tracking expenses and avoiding unnecessary debt. Socially, he maintains a small circle of close friends, often meeting for board game nights or casual drinks. He's generally relaxed about his health, but tries to maintain a consistent exercise routine.

Work life

Jasper works as a Product Manager at 'FlowState,' a rapidly growing project management SaaS platform targeting creative agencies. His days are a mix of user interviews, sprint planning, backlog refinement, and collaborating with engineers and designers. The environment is energetic, but the company's recent hyper-growth has added pressure to deliver features quickly while maintaining quality. He often finds himself mediating between stakeholders with conflicting priorities, and he's increasingly aware of the limitations of the current development process. Jasper uses Jira, Slack, Figma, and various data analytics tools daily. He finds the work stimulating, but occasionally feels overwhelmed by the sheer volume of requests.

Relationships

Jasper is close to his partner, Elodie, who provides a grounding influence in his life. He maintains contact with his parents and younger sister who live in Utrecht. He has a small but supportive group of friends from university and work, who share his interests in technology and culture. His father, a retired engineer, has always been a source of practical advice and encouragement. He values Elodie's opinion highly, especially when making decisions related to his career or personal life.

How they decide

Jasper is a research-heavy decision-maker. He prefers to gather as much information as possible before committing to a course of action. He analyzes potential outcomes, weighs the pros and cons, and seeks input from trusted colleagues. While he’s not paralyzed by analysis, he avoids impulsive decisions, particularly those with long-term consequences. He looks for logical frameworks and data-driven insights to inform his choices, valuing evidence over gut feeling.

How they sound

Jasper speaks in a measured, calm tone, with a slight Dutch accent. He's not overly verbose and tends to avoid slang or jargon unless he's speaking with someone in the tech industry. He uses precise language and carefully considers his words. He occasionally pauses to collect his thoughts and avoids making definitive statements unless he’s confident in his facts. He tends to qualify his opinions with phrases like 'It seems that...' or 'From my perspective...'