What does it take to lead? The Dutch Ministry of Defence is looking for talent - capable and willing - to take lead & responsibility. Able to take the right decision, morally and ethically.

What does it take to lead? The Dutch Ministry of Defence is looking for talent - capable and willing - to take lead & responsibility. Able to take the right decision, morally and ethically.

What does it take to lead? The Dutch Ministry of Defence is looking for talent - capable and willing - to take lead & responsibility. Able to take the right decision, morally and ethically.

Grasp the excessive challenges of leading. The Dutch ministry of Defence is in need of tertiary educated talent to become officers; able to, but also willing to take lead. Taking decisions in this sector might confront you with more leadership challenges and power than at any multinational out there.

Yet, tertiary educated talent rarely think of taking a career path within the military. The challenge was to reach this talent and inspire them on the nature and severeness of the work, challenges and dilemma’s.

Learn to Lead. We had to solve two main challenges: how to reach the right talent, while also convincing them of considering a career in military and create a campaign reaching this goal within a very tight budget. We came up with creating a website in which visitors could experience different dilemma’s and take decisions that potentially could have drastic consequences.

Those dilemma’s were based on real life, as we got the chance to interview officers and use their stories as inspiration. The dilemma’s we’re told re-using existing material, crafting a new story. Within Learn to Lead we challenge the visitor to take important decisions, while also educating the user on the effect of their decision and what’s expected of an officer.

Putting education in the military on the map. Through omni-channel marketing, including Dutch television the expectations of putting the Dutch ministry of Defence on the map for tertiary educated talent, were exceeded. The gamification style storytelling was appreciated by the target group, familiarising them with the military and tough decision making. The campagin-website is still being used today.

What did I do?

Key info
Collaborators
Deliverables
Concept
User experience
Art direction
Category
Public Sector
Client
Dutch Ministry of Defence
Location
Amsterdam
Maarten Kuipers

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A niche science research company with great ambitions.

I'm Alexander Munz. A designer
of experiences, brands &
systems. Passionate about creating products that empower people and brands to connect.

My skillset
  • Team & Project-Level Leadership
    01
  • Design & Digital Direction
    02
  • Brand Strategy & Design
    03
  • Design of Systems & Processes
    04
  • Graphic, Visual & Motion Design
    05
  • Product Development
    06
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  • Branding
  • Brand Strategy
  • Product Design
  • Product strategy
  • UI / UX
  • Motion Design
  • Prototyping
  • Design Direction
  • Leadership
  • Developing people & culture
  • Process design
  • Design Systems
  • User testing
  • Accessibility
  • Development
  • Webflow
  • Autodidact learner

I'm all about creating amazing products and experiences that are a joy to use. Doing this while trying to align business goals with user needs and desires, definitely a tricky balancing act. I've been doing this for over 11-12 years now, trying to give a unique perspective on the projects I had the pleasure working on. I rely on a combination of methods, my experience and gut instincts to deliver results that make users happy and achieve our goals.

Throughout my career, I've worked in multiple fields, including print, advertising, motion, and product design. Even though each one has its unique challenges, I find it super rewarding to partner with colleagues & clients and help a vision come to life. My passion for product and experience design has grown naturally over time. While taking on leadership roles in various design projects, to help guide and mentor other creatives another passion was born. I believe in teamwork & diversity! Unique people, views & ideas shape opportunities to make magic happen across all (digital) touchpoints.

I'll admit, my journey into design was a bit unorthodox. I didn't go to school for it or anything. But I've been tinkering with software like Photoshop since I was a wee 12-year-old, and I even designed my first website at the ripe old age of 14! Over time, my love for problem-solving, aesthetics, and technology only grew stronger, until I knew I had to switch careers and pursue design full-time. I'm so grateful to Steam in Amsterdam for taking a chance on me and letting me bring my unique perspective to their projects.

A playlist to work with

These days, you'll find me living in the suburbs of Amsterdam, zipping around on my bicycle, taking adventurous rides on my motorbike, and exploring all sorts of things outside. But before I started wandering around the flatlands of the Netherlands, I spent a bit of my childhood in France. Most of my life though was spent in the lovely city of Cologne, in Germany

I'm a people person at heart and consider myself an empathetic and caring individual, with a love story for mountains. A few of my guilty pleasures, next to design, that I can't resist—are listening to old-school rap and obsessing over Star Wars.

A few thoughts
  • Peace. Power. Dignity. Respect. Love. Be humble.
    :-)
  • Strategy & design enable opportunities.
    Design and strategy are essential components for unlocking opportunities. Together, design and strategy can enable organizations to identify and seize new opportunities. By combining user-centered design with a strategic approach to decision-making, organizations can create innovative solutions that meet the needs of their customers, while also achieving their business objectives.
  • A few small steps, instead of one big leap.
    Breaking down a big goal into smaller, more manageable steps can help to reduce feelings of overwhelm and increase motivation. Secondly, taking small steps allows for course correction along the way, making it easier to adjust course if necessary. Small steps help to build momentum and establish habits, increasing the likelihood of long-term success.
  • Influencing human behaviour.
    By employing design principles, products and services can be created that are intuitive and easy to use, encouraging positive behaviour. For example, providing people with easy solutions on how to re-use certain products can lead to positive habits reducing plastic usage. Similarly, designing a digital product that is visually appealing & user-friendly can encourage people to spend more time with the product and engage more deeply with the content.
  • Break the rules.
    The practices and techniques we have adopted may not necessarily remain relevant moving forward. While utilising existing methodologies can offer viable solutions to contemporary challenges, embracing novel approaches is imperative for continued progress. Thus, being open to exploring and challenging traditional methodologies can foster innovation and facilitate problem-solving in the present and the future.