Liesbeth Stam
perception researcher
Transitioning to sustainable mobility and energy use confronts us with major, complex issues where nobody is totally in control and for which there is no single right answer. This complex and organisation-transcending nature of the situation sometimes makes it easy to forget that these transitions are about people – ordinary real people and their daily life within the community.
What boosts my energy is organising the connection between the often abstract thinking of designers and policymakers and the world in which users actually live, in which things often develop a bit differently than expected. Above all, I enjoy organising things by working within co-creative processes. With genuine curiosity, I link up with the perceptions of the parties involved, ranging from professionals to residents. Connecting these different perspectives often leads not only to a new, shared view of the problem (or the success), but also to new and creative ways of intervening and to a greater awareness of the capacity to take action.
My strength lies in qualitative research and I have extensive experience with a variety of research methods, including traditional methods such as interviewing and observation as well as design thinking and UX research. I trained as an industrial designer and I have a background in the philosophy of technology. My fascination with the interplay between man and technology is the common thread running through my training and research. During my doctoral research at the architecture department of KU Leuven, I also became very interested in spatial planning and design. That fascination also finds expression in my research at Goudappel, where I’ve been working as a perception researcher since September 2021.
