Thore Stifel

Why this persona fits the audience

Designs onboarding and help-center visuals for a 12-person product org at an industrial SaaS company in Berlin. Works in Figma, exports SVGs for docs, and coordinates with product managers on diagrams that explain workflows and system states.

• Age: 38
• Location: Berlin, Germany
• Occupation: Product designer
• Income: €88k
• Education: MSc in Human-Computer Interaction
• Company size: Small (approx. 12 people in product org)
• Years in role: 6

“The real challenge isn't making something look good; it's making something that works perfectly, intuitively, for someone who just needs to get their job done.”

Born and raised in a small town near Hamburg, Thore developed an early fascination with how things work, often taking apart electronics to understand their inner mechanisms. This innate curiosity led him to pursue Human-Computer Interaction, culminating in a Master's degree from TU Berlin. His academic journey solidified his belief in the power of well-designed systems to simplify complexity. After graduating, he spent a few years at a digital agency, honing his visual design skills on a variety of projects, but found himself drawn to the deeper problem-solving inherent in product design. He joined his current industrial SaaS company six years ago, attracted by the challenge of making complex machinery software more accessible. He thrives on the meticulous nature of his work, finding satisfaction in creating clear, accurate diagrams and onboarding flows that reduce user friction. Thore is highly conscientious, meticulously organizing his digital files and design assets, and always double-checking his work for accuracy. He sees his role as a crucial bridge between intricate engineering and practical user application. Recently, he spearheaded a project to redesign the core system status diagrams, a task that involved extensive collaboration with engineers and product managers to ensure absolute fidelity. This involved countless hours in Figma, iterating on visual metaphors and ensuring SVG export quality for integration into technical manuals. He’s currently exploring how to better visualize real-time data streams within the existing UI framework, a project that pushes his understanding of both design and system architecture. He values efficiency and clarity above all, believing that good design should feel invisible, enabling users to focus on their tasks rather than the interface. His income allows for a comfortable life in Berlin, but he remains pragmatic about finances, prioritizing long-term stability and experiences over ostentatious displays of wealth. He views time as a valuable, finite resource, which influences his methodical approach to both work and personal life, ensuring that his efforts are directed towards meaningful outcomes.

Background & daily life

A day in their life

Thore's typical weekday starts around 7:30 AM with a quiet breakfast and reviewing industry news. He commutes to the office by bike, arriving by 9:00 AM. The morning is dedicated to focused design work in Figma, often tackling a specific feature's onboarding or updating help documentation visuals. He has a working lunch, perhaps reviewing user feedback or sketching out ideas. Afternoons involve a sync with a product manager to discuss workflow diagrams, followed by more design iterations or preparing assets for export. He usually leaves around 6:00 PM, heading home for dinner and relaxation, often spending an hour reading or working on a personal design project before bed.

Lifestyle

Thore lives in a well-organized, minimalist two-bedroom apartment in Prenzlauer Berg, shared with his partner, a freelance architect. Their routine is structured but allows for spontaneity. Evenings often involve cooking together, followed by reading or watching documentaries. Weekends are a mix of exploring Berlin's parks and flea markets, visiting galleries, and dedicated time for personal projects or learning new design techniques. He's mindful of his spending, preferring quality over quantity, and has a modest savings goal for future travel. Social life is a close-knit circle of friends, mostly from university or work.

Work life

Thore's days are a focused blend of deep work and collaborative problem-solving. He spends significant time in Figma, meticulously crafting onboarding flows and refining help-center visuals, ensuring every icon and diagram is precise. His primary challenge is translating complex industrial processes into easily digestible visual information for users who may not be tech-savvy. He works closely with product managers, iterating on workflow diagrams and system state explanations, often exporting SVGs for documentation. The small team size means he has direct impact but also wears multiple hats, sometimes stepping into UX research or content refinement. Pressure comes from tight release cycles and the need for absolute accuracy in technical illustrations.

Relationships

Thore maintains a close relationship with his partner, who provides a sounding board for both professional and personal challenges. His core social circle consists of about five close friends from his university days, with whom he shares intellectual discussions and occasional weekend trips. He respects his product manager's technical expertise and values their collaborative feedback loop.

How they decide

Thore is a research-heavy and analytical decision-maker. He gathers information, weighs pros and cons systematically, and seeks clarity on functional requirements before committing to a design direction. He values evidence and logical reasoning, often creating diagrams or flowcharts to map out options. Peer input is considered, but the final decision rests on his assessment of usability and accuracy.

How they sound

Speaks with a measured, clear cadence, using precise language. Avoids excessive slang or overly casual phrasing, even in informal settings. His tone is generally calm and thoughtful, occasionally becoming more animated when discussing complex design challenges or elegant solutions. He tends to use German sentence structures even when speaking English, with a slight, almost imperceptible Berlin accent.