'5+1' with designer, engineer and strategist Lieke Ypma

In our latest edition of ‘5+1’ we spoke to Berlin-based designer, engineer and strategist Lieke Ypma about her daily work and career, the male-dominated mobility industry and what needs to change, the mobility offer in Berlin and about owning a car. Lieke is also active as a speaker in the fields of mobility and User Experience (UX). On the 10th of June, she is going to talk about Female Mobility at the Women Tech Network. The week after on the 16th of June, Lieke is going to speak about the topic ‘Cycling as a status symbol’ at the bike festival Velo Berlin. Due to the current circumstances both events will take place digitally.

1. You are a Designer and Engineer. You work as a Strategist in Mobility. What does your daily work routine look like?

My strategy work is based on observations, always. Whether that is in the B2B or B2C context, I want to understand what the people that use a product or a solution think, feel, do and say. So I spend a good portion of my day observing and interviewing people. Observing is a mindset, once obtained it is hard to shut it off. As UX designers, we build strategies that go beyond slides. So I work with teams to illustrate and build solutions. I also bring people together and open up perspectives. Innovation never happens in isolation. We need to collaborate.  

2. Have you always been interested in mobility and knew that you are going to work in this branch? Where did you start your career in the mobility industry?

I've always seen mobility as a means to develop oneself. Being mobile means being curious. I've started my professional career at the Audi design department. I took a detour to the telecoms industry to return to mobility. Designing experiences that people need is a very valid starting point for every project. So that is what I do. 

3. The mobility industry is still a male-dominated branch. What do you think must happen for this to change?

More important to gender diversity is to gain diverse insights into all kinds of motivations for travel. Mobility needs to be inclusive as a starting point, so there are a million perspectives to take. Women are said to have greater empathy – so women in the industry eventually should make the offering more diverse. What would need to happen to get more women in the industry? That is not a question for the industry alone to solve. What would need to happen to have females in mint jobs? In leadership? It is a cultural change. Women often pursue multiple purposes in life. It would be a good start to acknowledge that leadership can be done as a part time role.  

4. You live and work in Berlin. Are you satisfied with the mobility offer in the city and how do you get from A to B? 

First of all, loads of people move from A to B to C and further (called a trip-chain). Think of it. How often do you stop along the way to pick up a package, run an errand, or meet a friend? Commuters may not think of this but the future of work may result in more complex mobility patterns – how does our system cater for that? Berlin welcomes a wide variety of startups, while pushing the envelope of inter-modal travel (that is changing vehicles within one trip) with Jelbi. The sound offering creates an amazing flexibility. Depending on the purpose of the trip, one can choose a kick scooter, a car, a bike, a train without owning nor taking care of all those vehicles: THAT is a luxury.
However, I think the quality of life in Berlin could be higher if public transport and bikes would be reinforced over cars. That seems to be a mindshift for decision makers. Are we afraid to mitigate the car? I personally think there is room for improvement. Popup bike lanes in Berlin show a possible direction. I would love to see improvements on public transport as well, not only on access, frequency and accuracy. Also through adding value such as a good connectivity inside the U-bahn. There will be enough moments and routes left for car trips.

5. Do you own a car and if yes what needs to change in terms of mobility offers and solutions that you would sell your car?

While I love driving all kinds of cars and vehicles, I've never owned a car myself. Especially in Berlin, there is always a car around the corner. Apparently people estimate the cost of car ownership way lower than the actual spend. If we are moving into a recession, a good overview of the complete spend on all mobility options could help people move to alternative ways of transport.

And the +1 question for you: “Are you positive or negative about how corona changes our mobility behaviour? Why?”

– Yes! People are getting on bikes due to health concerns. A big part of them will realise it’s better. (answer via Instagram)

Pictures: Max Schroeder
Interview: Britta Reineke