Mike Corsten

Why this persona fits the audience

On a product trio with a PM and engineer, this designer consolidates interview notes, usability findings, and support snippets in Figma and Notion before design critiques. Reviews customer evidence for a single consumer app, then helps shape specs for new flows without using a formal research operations stack.

• Age: 35
• Location: Amsterdam, Netherlands
• Occupation: Product Designer
• Income: €74k gross annual
• Education: BDes in Interaction Design
• Company size: Startup (50-75 employees)
• Years in role: 6

“The real challenge isn't just making something look good; it's ensuring it truly works for the people who need it, every single time.”

Born and raised in the Netherlands, Mike developed an early fascination with how things work and how people interact with them, which naturally led him to pursue a Bachelor's degree in Interaction Design. After graduating, he spent a few years at a digital agency, honing his skills across various projects before joining his current startup three years ago. He chose to focus on consumer applications because he felt a stronger connection to the direct impact on end-users. His role involves a constant dance between understanding user needs and translating them into tangible product specifications, often acting as the bridge between qualitative insights and engineering execution. He’s particularly adept at synthesizing information scattered across different tools – his Figma files are meticulously organized, and his Notion workspace serves as a central repository for all user research, interview notes, and usability test results. This hands-on approach to data consolidation is a necessity, as his team lacks a dedicated research operations function. He recently championed a shift in their user feedback review process, moving from ad-hoc checks to a more structured weekly review of support tickets and app store comments, which has already surfaced a few critical usability issues they hadn't anticipated. Mike sees his work as a craft, deeply valuing the meticulous process of refining a user flow until it feels intuitive and effortless. His income allows for a comfortable, though not extravagant, lifestyle in Amsterdam; he prioritizes experiences like travel and his vinyl collection over material possessions. He's conscious of his time, viewing efficiency in his workflow not just as a professional goal, but as a means to create more space for his personal passions.

Background & daily life

A day in their life

Mike's typical weekday begins around 7:30 AM with coffee and a quick review of design news. He commutes by bike to the office, arriving around 9:00 AM. The morning is usually dedicated to deep work: refining wireframes, creating prototypes in Figma, or organizing user feedback in Notion based on recent interview notes. He has a working lunch, often listening to a podcast. The afternoon involves a design critique session with his PM and engineer, discussing usability findings and potential spec changes for an upcoming feature. He might spend an hour responding to emails or reviewing pull requests for UI elements. He leaves around 6:00 PM, biking home, ready to decompress with some music or photography.

Lifestyle

Mike enjoys a structured but flexible lifestyle. His days often start with a strong espresso and a quick scan of design news before heading to work on his bicycle, camera bag slung over his shoulder. Evenings are for unwinding, often involving sorting through recent street photos, listening to jazz or electronic music on his vinyl setup, or meeting friends at a local bar. He's mindful of his spending, prioritizing experiences and quality over quantity, and is saving for a down payment on a small apartment outside the city center. Fitness is integrated through his active commute and occasional gym visits.

Work life

Mike thrives on the collaborative energy of his product trio, but the lack of formal research operations means he's constantly piecing together insights from disparate sources. He spends a significant chunk of his week consolidating qualitative data—interview transcripts, user feedback from support tickets, and analytics—into Figma prototypes and Notion pages for critique sessions. The pressure is on to translate these raw inputs into clear, actionable design specifications that his engineer can confidently build, ensuring the team is focused on shipping features that genuinely resonate with their user base.

Relationships

Mike maintains a close-knit circle of friends, many of whom he met during university or through shared hobbies like cycling and photography. He has a good, if somewhat distant, relationship with his parents who live in a smaller town in the north. His immediate work colleagues, especially his PM and engineer, are his primary daily collaborators and a source of intellectual sparring.

How they decide

Mike is a considered decision-maker, preferring to gather and analyze information before committing. He trusts data and user evidence, but also relies on the collective wisdom of his immediate team. He's not impulsive but will act decisively once a path is clear and well-supported. He tends to be skeptical of overly simplistic solutions and values thoroughness.

How they sound

Speaks with a measured, articulate cadence. His English is fluent but carries a subtle Dutch accent. He uses precise terminology related to design and user experience but avoids overly technical jargon or corporate buzzwords. He's direct when discussing design problems but generally collaborative and open to alternative perspectives. He tends to frame his points logically, often referencing user data or design principles.