Jerfi van Diem has always viewed the world through a unique lens. Growing up in a multicultural family with a father who has tinnitus and severe hearing loss, she learned early on that small practical challenges can quickly become complex barriers. Today, as a Senior Interface Consultant at Netcompany, she’s using that perspective to make digital solutions more accessible and user-friendly for everyone.
Jerfi was raised in a family that blended two cultures: her mother, originally from Turkey, moved to the Netherlands for her father, a Dutchman from Brabant. She grew up in a household where communication was different from what most of her peers experienced.
»My vocabulary was always much smaller than that of my friends,« she recalls. »My father has tinnitus, severe hearing and dyslexia, and my mother has a different language background. So, at home, we spoke very simple Dutch.«
When her father developed tinnitus six years ago, his hearing declined further, and daily life became even more challenging. »Small practical things can suddenly become very complex,« she explains. Witnessing these struggles firsthand shaped her passion for usability and accessibility in design.
Choosing a career wasn’t easy for Jerfi. After completing her vocational studies, she knew she wanted to continue studying but wasn’t sure which direction to take. Eventually, she discovered Communication and Multimedia Design, a field that immediately resonated with her.
»Even back then, it was about inclusivity and how to design a website properly,« she says. »I absolutely loved it. That’s where my passion for UX design was born.«
Today, Jerfi compares UX design to a roller coaster. »It’s about guiding the user through their journey as smoothly as possible while capturing their emotions and addressing pain points, such as how to ensure that a blind person, a deaf person, or someone with low literacy can use the application.«
Currently, Jerfi is working on a project with significant societal impact—merging several portals into one unified system that must be accessible to the entire Dutch population. »That’s a huge challenge, but it is my ambition to do it as well as possible,« she says.
For her, this work is personal. »When I look at my own family, I hope that, ultimately, this product will help them a lot with digital accessibility and that digital frustration will decrease. Everyone should be able to handle their own matters independently, without having to rely on others—because, well, life is already complex enough,« she adds.
Jerfi’s work at Netcompany isn’t just about improving usability—it’s about ensuring that digital solutions empower people rather than exclude them. By designing with accessibility at the forefront, she’s not only making technology more inclusive but also helping to create a world where everyone can navigate digital spaces with ease.
As a UX Designer, you are responsible for creating user-friendly and accessible digital solutions that benefit people and businesses across Europe. By designing intuitive and engaging experiences for business- and society-critical IT solutions, you ensure that user needs remain at the core of digital transformation. You’ll work closely with developers, business consultants, and clients to turn complex requirements into seamless user experiences. With a strong foundation in UX research, usability testing, and interaction design, you’ll ensure that every solution not only meets functional needs but also feels effortless to use. Above all, you’ll help drive digital transformation with a human touch, designing with accessibility in mind and ensuring that technology empowers people rather than creates barriers.
