About me
Hello! I'mSandra Heijnekamp,a UX designer from Zaandam, the Netherlands.
Ever since I was young, expressing myself creatively has been my passion. Whether it's photography, painting or my work: I get the most satisfaction from exploring creative angles and coming up with creative solutions. At the same time I always want to know the whole story; I'm allergic to judging before you know what's really going on.
In 2024 I earned my Bachelor of Science in Communication and Multimedia Design. Since then I have been working as a freelancer in front-end development and graphic design, and I am building my own Etsy shop selling mock-ups.
I started out in visual design and front-end development, and gradually discovered that what I enjoy most is the question behind the design. Behavior design and design research taught me to understand and influence behavior. With code, and nowadays vibe coding too, I quickly turn my ideas into something that works, so I can really test them.
I love balance, I'm always happy to help others, I'm a bit of a perfectionist and above all a cheerful colleague.
Outside of work
Family
Family is at the top of my list, and of course our cats are part of it too. I love the time I spend with them.
Creative
I like experimenting with different media and materials: one moment I am making 3D Pokémon cards, the next a watercolour or acrylic painting.
Gaming
I unwind by gaming, from Call of Duty with my boyfriend and brother to a cosy game like Disney Dreamlight Valley.
Learning
I love to keep learning and read about design, storytelling and learning itself.
AI is a designertool
AI has developed at lightning speed in recent years. There are models that can design and build entire websites and apps. Designers no longer needed? That is not how I see it.
I see AI as a tool that helps me get to results faster, and that opens up opportunities that used to be hard to reach: in research, wireframing, prototyping and making products. For good UI and a fitting user experience, UX designers and researchers remain essential. Authenticity and a personal touch are becoming more important than ever.
What I bring
UX Design
- Design thinking
- Behavior design
- Design patterns
- Wireframes & prototypes
- Visual design
- Animation
UX Research
- Design research
- User research
- Behavioral experiments
- Testing & iterating
Front-end & code
- HTML, CSS & JavaScript (hand-coded)
- Creative coding
- Responsive design
- Working prototypes
- Vibe coding
Tools I use
The tools I work with every day, from first sketch to working code.
Design
- Figma
- Adobe Photoshop
- Adobe Illustrator
- Adobe XD
- Adobe InDesign
- Affinity
AI
- Claude
- ChatGPT
- Adobe Firefly
Web & code
- HTML
- CSS
- JavaScript
- WordPress
- Elementor
Curious about my education and experience?
You'll find my full background on LinkedIn. Feel free to send me a message there.
My path
From visual design to UX
2020 It started with visual design
My first projects were about style, illustration and layout, like the one-pager for ice cream brand iisko.
2021 UX and code
I discovered UX design and learned to build my own designs in HTML, CSS and JavaScript, from SimDate to Plog de Dag.
2023 Understanding behavior
Through behavior design and design research I learned why people do what they do, for example in Stoppen met roken.
2024 Graduated
I earned my Bachelor of Science in Communication and Multimedia Design. In SleepPlantzz, research, concept, illustration and interaction came together.
2024 – now Freelancer
Since 2024 I have been working as a freelancer in front-end development and graphic design, for clients who want to make an idea visible and working.
Now Looking for my next team
I design, research and vibe code, I am building my own Etsy shop selling mock-ups, and I am looking for a permanent role as a UX designer.
Creative in my head,solution-driven in my work,with my heart in it.
Let's work together?
Looking for a UX designer?
I'm looking for a permanent role as a UX designer. Do you have a spot on your team, or would you just like to meet? I'd love to hear from you.