Giel de Leeuw

Why this persona fits the audience

He is a UX researcher in Amsterdam applying for a role change within the same field, relies on manual drafts and a spreadsheet tracker, and revises follow-up emails after interview debriefs with a trusted colleague.

• Age: 38
• Location: Amsterdam, Netherlands
• Occupation: UX Researcher
• Income: €74k
• Education: MSc in human-computer interaction
• Company size: Mid-sized tech firm (150-500 employees)
• Years in role: 6

“I've learned that the most valuable insights often come from the spaces between the data points, if only you have the patience to look for them.”

Giel de Leeuw, 38, is a seasoned UX researcher navigating a pivotal career transition in the vibrant tech hub of Amsterdam. With an MSc in Human-Computer Interaction and six years of experience, he has built a reputation for meticulous craft and calm, data-driven decision-making. Currently earning €74,000 annually at a mid-sized tech firm, Giel finds himself at a crossroads. While satisfied with his technical contributions, he feels a growing urge to step into a senior leadership role that offers more strategic autonomy. His daily reality is defined by a blend of high-level strategic thinking and granular administrative tasks. He is a self-described 'tool enthusiast,' particularly interested in how AI can enhance productivity without compromising the human element of research. However, his reliance on manual processes remains a significant friction point; he meticulously tracks his job applications and interview feedback in a custom-built spreadsheet, often spending hours manually drafting personalized follow-up emails after each interview. This manual labor, which he revises with a trusted colleague to ensure tone and accuracy, consumes valuable time he would rather dedicate to deep work or skill development. Giel's professional identity is rooted in the belief that tools should serve the craft, not dictate it. He is currently evaluating his options, weighing the potential benefits of automation against the risk of losing the nuance that defines his approach. His life outside of work is equally structured, filled with long cycling routes, quiet evenings, and a commitment to maintaining a healthy boundary between professional ambition and personal well-being. As he considers his next move, Giel is less concerned with the immediate payoff and more focused on finding an environment where his values of craftsmanship and thoughtful inquiry can truly flourish.

Background & daily life

A day in their life

Giel wakes at 6:30 AM to the sound of rain against his window. After his morning routine, he cycles to the office, arriving by 8:15 AM to start work before the building fills. His day begins with a review of his spreadsheet tracker, checking off completed interviews and flagging pending follow-ups. Morning hours are reserved for deep synthesis work, analyzing user session recordings and coding transcripts. By 11:00 AM, he attends a cross-functional stand-up, where he calmly defends a recommendation based on data. Lunch is a solitary affair, often spent reading articles on AI ethics near the water. The afternoon involves collaborative workshops with designers and product managers, where he facilitates discussions and takes notes. Around 4:30 PM, he faces the dreaded task of drafting thank-you emails, manually typing out variations for three recent interviews. He finishes work at 5:30 PM, immediately switching to offline mode. Evenings are for cooking, a long walk to decompress, and winding down with a book before bed, ensuring he is rested for the next cycle.

Lifestyle

Giel lives in a third-floor walk-up in Oud-West, a neighborhood he chose for its proximity to the canals and local parks. His mornings are ritualistic: a double espresso, a 45-minute bike ride along the Amstel river regardless of the weather, and a quiet breakfast while reviewing his daily plan. He values physical activity as a way to clear his mind, often taking long, unplanned walks when stuck on a complex research problem. Financially, he is conservative; he avoids luxury spending but invests heavily in high-quality gear that lasts, from his bicycle to his ergonomic home office setup. Socially, he prefers deep one-on-one conversations over large gatherings, usually meeting friends at a quiet café or for a weekend hike. He prioritizes health, maintaining a balanced diet and ensuring he disconnects completely by 7 PM to recharge.

Work life

As a mid-level UX researcher, Giel spends his days designing qualitative studies and synthesizing data into actionable insights for product teams. He currently manages three concurrent projects, balancing stakeholder expectations with rigorous methodological standards. His workflow is a mix of digital collaboration tools like Miro and Notion, but he stubbornly relies on a custom Excel spreadsheet to track his application progress and interview feedback loops. The pressure comes not from volume, but from the need for precision; a poorly phrased question or a misinterpreted insight can derail a product roadmap. He often finds himself in late-afternoon debriefs where he must articulate complex user behaviors to impatient engineers. Recently, he has been spending significant mental energy on drafting post-interview correspondence, manually tailoring each note based on the specific nuances of the conversation, a process he finds tedious yet essential to maintain professional relationships.

Relationships

Giel shares a close partnership with his wife, a graphic designer, who provides critical feedback on his visual communication style. He maintains a tight-knit circle of four childhood friends, mostly met through university, with whom he discusses life philosophy and career strategy. Professionally, his most significant influence is a former professor turned industry mentor in Utrecht, with whom he has a bi-weekly coffee call. He rarely seeks validation from broad online communities, preferring to trust his own analysis or direct peer reviews from colleagues he respects deeply.

How they decide

Giel employs a cautious, evidence-based decision-making process. He rarely acts on impulse, instead gathering data points, consulting trusted peers, and simulating outcomes mentally before committing. He is highly skeptical of marketing claims and requires tangible proof of utility, often testing free versions or reading detailed technical documentation before adopting a new system. His choices are driven by long-term value and alignment with his core values rather than short-term convenience or price alone.

How they sound

Giel speaks with a calm, measured cadence, using precise vocabulary typical of his academic background. He avoids hyperbole and emotional language, preferring to state facts and observations clearly. In conversation, he pauses frequently to consider the implications of what he is saying, never rushing to fill silence. He uses mild Dutch inflections in English, such as slightly flattened vowels and formal sentence structures. He rarely interrupts and tends to validate others' points before offering his own perspective. He avoids slang, buzzwords, and aggressive sales tactics in his speech, focusing instead on clarity and mutual understanding.