Who is Rian van der Merwe?

This is what Sam says about Rian:

Rian is an amazing guy to see talk. I first met him at a SPIN event where he was presenting. His humour and humbleness, aswell as his passion for all things design shone through. Speaking to Rian in person was a very different expereince - he is a shy, quiet guy but always his humbleness and passion shines.

What is something people usually don’t know about you but has influenced you in who you are?

I learned how to play guitar at a very early age, and it makes my job easier in ways I never imagined. The most valuable lesson guitar playing taught me is how to get beyond my extreme introversion and not be afraid of speaking in front of people. I didn’t realise how important this was until I fell into a career path that relies primarily on talking to (and understanding) people…

What would have become of you, if you were not doing the job you do today?

I think I would have landed somewhere between being an electronic engineer, an out-of-work musician, and a coffee shop owner. Or possibly some combination of all three.

What is your biggest challenge and why is it a good thing for you?

My biggest challenge is figuring out what to do with the limited time I have every day. I’m pretty sure we all feel like that. But it’s ultimately a good thing because it forces me to think very carefully about what I spend my time and attention on.

There are also certain non-negotiables in my life: if I’m not traveling for work, I want to be home for my daugthers’ bath- and bedtime routines. This forces me to take a real break at least once every day — there is no time to think about work and email during bath time! I find that very valuable, because I think we’ve all lost the ability to be bored. There’s always something to look at, an app with “pull to refresh” to keep us stimulated. But those breaks, where we don’t have much to do or think about… Those are the times when thoughts can settle and real breakthrough ideas can come. As Stephen Hacket once said: “Boredom isn’t a bad thing. But strangling it with Angry Birds probably is.”

What drives you?

I want to make things with meaning. I’m sure that sounds terribly cheesy — sorry about that. But I really want to work on projects and products that matter, that make people’s lives better, that improves the world in some way. Sorry for all the quotes, but I think Mike Monteiro said it better than anyone: “We used to design ways to get to the moon; now we design ways to never have to get out of bed. You have the power to change that.”

I really want to see good Design (in the broadest, problem-solving sense of the word) take over the world. I get disproportionately upset when I see bad design, but I’m working on that.

What is your biggest achievement?

Being reasonably successful at raising our two daughters. At least, I hope I am! That probably sounds like an “oh, he had to say that” answer. But being a parent really is the most challenging thing you can do with your life. It shines a light on all your insecurities, and it tears the selfishness out of you. There’s just no room for worrying about your lack of sleep or free time when you’re focused on helping someone become a human being — and their own human being at that, not some carbon copy of yourself.

I’m incredibly proud of my daughters, because in their confidence and sense of direction (which is often not the direction I would have gone!) I see that I did something right. If they feel loved without feeling smothered, I think that’s a win. So, yeah. I’m going to call that continuous learning experience my biggest achievement.

Is there a piece of music that has a special meaning for you?

Shew, that’s a tough one. We’re a music family, so it’s pretty impossible to pick just one. But I’ll pick an album that has some great memories for my wife and I. It’s Mutemath’s self-titled album. While we were living in San Francisco we went to see a band called Mae live at this total dive bar called Slim’s. But instead of freaking out about Mae, we were totally blown away by this new band called Mutemath. They were the first opening act, and they were unbelievable. We’ve been huge fans ever since, and have listened to and debated their songs for long hours.

What is the last book you have read?

Amusing Ourselves to Death by Niel Postman. It was written in the mid 80s, but it’s still extremely relevant today. It’s about the shift away from newspapers and the written word to television (or in our context, the Internet), and how that affects public discourse and what we spend our time on. It’s a fascinating read that really got me thinking. Highly recommended.

What question do you think we should also ask and what is the answer?

Do you like answering questions about yourself?

I find it really difficult.

Whom do you think we should ask next in South Africa?

Another tough question — there are so many people doing great work in the community. From a Product Management perspective I’m always interested in hearing Cliff Hazell and Peter Matthaei’s thoughts. Please convince them to write more!

Whom do you think we should ask next, not in South Africa?

Jeff Gothelf. He recently co-wrote a fantastic book called Lean UX, and his message of moving beyond deliverables fits in very well with Agile principles.

How would you define your relation to the South African Agile community?

I’m definitely a bit on the fringes, and should be more involved. It’s just difficult with two little ones at home. Like I said, I’m not a fan of missing bath time, and most events clash with that… But I do try to get out to an event at least once a month!

Cape Town, April 2013

How to connect with Rian

Twitter: @RianVDM

Linked In: za.linkedin.com/in/rianvdm