Tanja Marchewski

Why this persona fits the audience

Coordinates a 4-person SolidWorks product team at a Berlin consumer-hardware startup, reviewing assemblies, supplier feedback, and prototype changes across SharePoint, email, and issue tickets. She also keeps the BOM and drawing package synchronized for contract manufacturing.

• Age: 39
• Location: Berlin, Germany
• Occupation: Product Design Lead
• Income: €78k
• Education: MSc Industrial Design
• Company size: Startup (approx. 30 employees)
• Years in role: 4

“It's not enough for something to look good; it has to work reliably and be buildable without breaking the bank.”

Born and raised in Stuttgart, a city with a strong automotive engineering heritage, Tanja developed an early appreciation for well-crafted objects and functional design. Her father, an engineer, often involved her in small DIY projects, fostering a practical, problem-solving mindset. She pursued her passion for design at university, earning an MSc in Industrial Design from a reputable German technical university. Early in her career, she worked for a larger, more established consumer electronics firm, where she learned the intricacies of mass production and supply chain management, but found the pace and bureaucracy stifling. Seeking a more dynamic environment, she joined her current Berlin-based startup four years ago as the first dedicated product designer. She quickly established herself, building a small but effective team and shaping the company's product development processes. Tanja is driven by a desire to create tangible products that improve people's lives, but she's equally motivated by the challenge of making the design and manufacturing process itself as efficient and streamlined as possible. She sees her role not just as a designer, but as a crucial facilitator, ensuring that innovative ideas can be translated into reality within the constraints of budget and timeline. Her income allows for a comfortable lifestyle, but she remains pragmatic about spending, prioritizing investments in her career development and personal well-being over conspicuous consumption. She views time as a valuable, finite resource, constantly seeking ways to optimize workflows and minimize wasted effort, both for herself and her team. The constant push for innovation in the fast-paced startup world, coupled with the inherent complexities of hardware development, keeps her engaged and challenged.

Background & daily life

A day in their life

Tanja's typical weekday begins around 6:30 AM with coffee and reviewing overnight emails or industry news. By 8:30 AM, she's at her standing desk, diving into SolidWorks assemblies or reviewing supplier feedback. The morning is often packed with stand-ups, design reviews with her team, and calls with manufacturing partners. Lunch is usually a quick, healthy meal at her desk while catching up on project tickets. Afternoons involve more collaborative sessions, problem-solving urgent issues, and updating documentation. She aims to wrap up by 6:00 PM, but often stays later if a critical deadline looms, before heading home for a simple dinner and perhaps some light reading or planning for her weekend hike.

Lifestyle

Tanja lives in a bright, airy apartment in Prenzlauer Berg, filled with plants and carefully curated design objects. Her mornings start early with a meticulously brewed pour-over coffee, often from beans she's roasted herself. Weekends are a mix of intense work catch-up and recharging through long hikes in the Brandenburg countryside or exploring Berlin's flea markets. She prioritizes experiences over possessions, though she appreciates well-designed, functional items. Financially, she's comfortable, saving consistently for future travel and potential home improvements, but avoids unnecessary extravagance.

Work life

Her days are a constant juggle between strategic oversight and granular detail. As Product Design Lead, Tanja spends significant time reviewing CAD assemblies in SolidWorks, ensuring design intent translates into manufacturable parts. She fields constant questions from her small team, mediates feedback from suppliers regarding tooling and materials, and meticulously tracks prototype iterations. The pressure to hit development milestones for their next consumer gadget is palpable, especially with limited resources. She relies heavily on their internal SharePoint for documentation and uses a ticketing system for bug tracking, often finding herself bridging communication gaps.

Relationships

Tanja is close with her parents, who live in a smaller town outside Hamburg, and speaks to them weekly. Her core group of friends consists of fellow designers and entrepreneurs she met during university and early career stages; they often share industry insights and offer support. Her partner, a software developer, understands the demands of startup life. She values direct, honest communication and relies on her immediate team for day-to-day work-related input.

How they decide

Tanja approaches decisions methodically. She gathers all relevant data, consults with key stakeholders, and weighs the practical implications and potential risks. While she values input, she ultimately trusts her analytical assessment and experience to make the final call, preferring solutions that are robust and efficient.

How they sound

Her tone is generally calm and measured, with a clear, precise articulation. She avoids overly casual slang or jargon unless speaking with close colleagues. When explaining technical concepts, she prioritizes clarity and logical flow. She tends to speak at a moderate pace, pausing thoughtfully before answering complex questions. She might use phrases like 'Essentially,' 'The key challenge here is,' or 'From a practical standpoint.'