Miel Wellens
Verified Expert in Design
Designer
Shanghai, China
Toptal member since February 14, 2022
Miel loves UX-based innovations, digital spaghetti coding, and prototyping. He has built sophisticated IoT products, streamlined user flows, and 3D-printed his own eyewear. Miel is always eager to experiment and innovate in most product and service-based industries with or without hardware as long as the focus is on solving real user problems.
Experience
- Design Thinking - 15 years
- Industrial Design - 15 years
- Product Design - 12 years
- Workshop Facilitation - 10 years
- UX Design - 9 years
- Interaction Design (IxD) - 7 years
- Qualitative Research - 7 years
- Innovation Strategy - 7 years
Portfolio
UX Strategy for Industrial Robotics
Digital Marketing for Open Innovation
Digital Strategy for a Dental Player
IoT and Industrial Design
Work Experience
Design Director
Freelance Contractor
- Led the consumer IoT design strategy for a Fortune 500 company.
- Localized digital, physical, and phygital products for global brands entering the Chinese market.
- Headed the digital strategy and future vision exploration for a global brand, entering multiple markets in Japan, India, China, Europe, and the US.
- Mentored startups and scaleups from business models and hackathons to successful launches in the medical and consumer markets.
Design Manager
ZHEJIANG AISHIDA ELECTRIC CO.
- Defined the UI/UX strategy and implementation for our industrial robotics brand QJAR.
- Grew our team from 12 to 18 designers to work on industrial digital design, research, and strategy.
- Developed advanced embedded digital concepts for electrical appliances.
Design Manager
S.Point Design Co.
- Headed a team of six to deliver products and services for the global Fortune 500 companies and startups in Shanghai.
- Led the digital strategy and improved the product of a dental medical player to successfully enter the Chinese, European, and US markets.
- Participated in the co-creation process of Colgate through user and trend research for the Chinese market.
Product and System Designer
Philips
- Led the category of smart accessories for Philips Hue, the leader in smart consumer lighting.
- Participated in the design exploration programs to build the future of smart lighting and prototype new experiences beyond products and screens.
- Established the UX process within the NDPL process to streamline advanced product development for smart products.
Product Designer
IDEARTOR
- Established an eCommerce internal B2B platform for retailers to see the collections of eyewear designs. Built an eCommerce and marketing website for all available designs and accessories.
- Defined the online identity and redefined both online and offline experiences.
- Helped the brand launch globally, from starting the collection to refining accessories and all the marketing communication materials needed.
Designer | Freelance Contractor
Philips
- Brainstormed, defined, designed, and launched products on the Disney licensing platform for the Disney-Philips partnership.
- Supported marketing in high-quality photorealistic product rendering for online and offline purposes. Used computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) and Siemens NX.
- Explored digital mass-customization platforms for three internal joint ventures.
Education
Master's Degree in International Marketing, Strategy, and Innovation
Hasselt University - Hasselt, Belgium
Master's Degree in Product Design
LUCA | School of Arts - Bruxelles, Belgium
Bachelor's Degree in Multimedia and Communication Design
HOWEST - Kortrijk, Belgium
Certifications
Insights for Innovation
IDEO U
Designing Strategy
IDEO U
UX Master Certification | Interaction Design
Nielsen Norman Group
Design for Excellence (DfX) | Level 1
Philips
Skills
Tools
Rhinoceros 3D, KeyShot, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop, Miro, SketchUp, CAD, Autodesk Fusion 360, SOLIDWORKS, Autodesk, Adobe Experience Design (XD), Adobe Fireworks, Adobe Flash, Adobe Dreamweaver, NX CAD, 3ds Max, Siemens NX
Platforms
Figma, iOS, Arduino
Industry Expertise
Consumer Products, Music, Product Ideation, Marketing
Languages
JavaScript, HTML5, Max/MSP/Jitter
Other
Product Design, Design Thinking, Innovation Strategy, Design, Workshop Facilitation, Usability Analysis, User Research, UX Design, Consumer Insights, Innovation, User Workshops, Ideation Workshops, Design Workshops, Workshops, Web Design, Industrial Design, Internet of Things (IoT), 3D Rendering, 3D Modeling, 3D Design, User Flows, 3D, Design Leadership, Prototyping, UI Design, Machinery, Industrial Equipment, Industrial & Manufacturing, Rapid Prototyping, Responsive Web Design (RWD), Ethnographic Studies, Design Consultation, 3D Product Modeling, Audio, Desktop App Design, Stakeholder Management, Landing Page Design, 3D Printing, 3D CAD, Responsive Design, Conceptual Design, Rendering, 3D Prototyping, 2D Illustrations, Business to Consumer (B2C), Mechanical Design, PowerPoint Design, B2C Marketing, Business to Business (B2B), Qualitative Research, Interaction Design (IxD), Clients, UX Research, Mobile UX, Branding, User Interface (UI), User Experience (UX), Sketching, User Journeys, User Journey Maps, Usability Testing, Excel 365, Web App UX, UX Testing, Wireframing, Software Design, Software Interfaces, Early-stage Startups, Website Redesign, Mobile Apps, UX Audits, User Interviews, Web App Design, Process Optimization, Consulting, Team Leadership, Service Design, Computer-aided Manufacturing (CAM), Quantitative Analysis, Critical Design, Design for Excellence (DFX), Management, UX Workshops, Robotics, XD to HTML, jQuery, Mobile UI, eCommerce UX, eCommerce UI, Product Branding, New Products, Consumer Trends, Trend Forecasting, Digital Strategy, B2B, B2B Lead Generation, Thought Leadership, Strategy, Embedded Controllers, Website Setup, WeChat Mini Programs, Audio Production, Music Production, Audio Analysis, Personal Branding, Digital Marketing Strategy, Direct to Consumer (D2C), Dental Care, Dentistry, Patient Engagement, Patient Services, Smart Homes, B2C, Mobile App Design, Consumer Applications, Open Innovation, Marketing Design, Innovation Management, Smart Home Technology, Vectorization, Injection Molding, DXF
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