Merel studied Physics and Astronomy at Utrecht University and works as a System Architect. After the first pilot phase of Thalently, she became part of the project as a developer. Since then, she has mainly focused on testing the platform extensively and continuously improving different parts of the app.

Building and Improving Thalently

“What suits me most about development is solving complicated puzzles and looking critically at how things can be improved. Within Thalently, I started out by extensively testing the platform after the first pilot. From there, I became more involved in refining different parts of the app and helping improve the overall experience of the platform. 

What I am most proud of is helping make the app not only work better but also feel more pleasant to use. The idea that people use something I helped build on a daily basis gives me a lot of satisfaction. For the future, I hope Thalently continues to grow and becomes a fixed part of personal and professional development within organizations. For me, the strength of the platform lies in offering users concrete insights and practical tools that help them take real steps in their development. At the same time, I think it is important that the platform stays flexible and continues adapting to different organizations and different needs.”

Personal Growth

“My personal goal is to keep challenging myself and continue discovering new things, both professionally and personally. Standing still does not really suit me. I think it is important to keep developing yourself and continue figuring out what works best for you.”

Beyond Work

“Outside of work, I also like solving puzzles, especially cryptograms. I enjoy activities where you have to think strategically and look for patterns. I also like playing card games together with friends. One of those games is actually a card game we have been developing ourselves for more than two years now. One of the people working on that game together with me is Pien, who is also part of the Thalently team. Besides that, I like going to the gym and skiing in Austria during winter. I also enjoy riding motorcycles together with my family.”

A Quote That Fits Me

“Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler” is a quote that has always stayed with me. I like it because it reminds me that overcomplicating things usually does not make them better. Sometimes the strongest approach is actually the clearest and simplest one.”