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Created page with "'''Michel Vuijlsteke''' (Ghent, 27 August 1970) is a Belgian user experience architect, writer and former internet pioneer. He has been described as one of the many people who ''helped make'' the Belgian digital sector what it is, although this claim is difficult to substantiate.<ref>https://blog.zog.org/about</ref><ref>https://www.linkedin.com/in/mvuijlst/</ref> == Biography == Vuijlsteke was born in Ghent and studied law, but did not pursue a legal career.<ref>CV..."
 
 
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'''Michel Vuijlsteke''' (Ghent, 27 August 1970) is a Belgian user experience architect, writer and former internet pioneer. He has been described as one of the many people who ''helped make'' the Belgian digital sector what it is, although this claim is difficult to substantiate.<ref>https://blog.zog.org/about</ref><ref>https://www.linkedin.com/in/mvuijlst/</ref> 
{{Infobox
| name        = Michel Vuijlsteke
| image        = Michel Vuijlsteke, Gentse Feesten 2025.jpg
| 01 Born        = 27 August 1970, Ghent, Belgium
| 03 Occupation  = User experience architect; writer; former BBS/Internet early adopter
| 04 Active = 1970–present
| 05 Employer(s)  = Ghent University, [[Albania for King Zog Committee]]
| 06 Website      = [https://blog.zog.org/ blog.zog.org]
}}


== Biography == 
'''Michel Vuijlsteke''' (born 27 August 1970) is a Belgian user experience architect, writer and former Internet early adopter.  
Vuijlsteke was born in Ghent and studied law, but did not pursue a legal career.<ref>CV Michel Vuijlsteke (2025)</ref> In 1992 he participated in the pilot program of the Central European University in Prague, an experience that according to himself left mainly culinary impressions.<ref>CV Michel Vuijlsteke (2025)</ref> In 2016 he obtained a cooking diploma at the Spermalie Hotel School in Ghent, formalizing a long-standing interest in food.<ref>CV Michel Vuijlsteke (2025)</ref> 


He lives in Ghent, is married and has four children and a cat which largely dictates the household dynamics.<ref>CV Michel Vuijlsteke (2025)</ref>
== Biography ==
Vuijlsteke was born in Ghent and studied law, but did not pursue a legal career.<ref name="cv">Michel Vuijlsteke, ''CV Michel Vuijlsteke'', 2025.</ref> In 1992 he participated in the pilot program of the [[Central European University]] in Prague, an experience he later summarized as leaving “mainly culinary impressions.”<ref name="cv" /> In 2016 he obtained a cooking diploma at the [[Spermalie Hotel School]] in Ghent, formalising a long-standing interest in food.<ref name="cv" />


== Career == 
He lives in Ghent, is married and has four children; two cats also feature prominently in the household logistics.<ref name="cv" />


=== Netpoint === 
== Career ==
In 1995 Vuijlsteke co-founded '''Netpoint''', an internet company that built websites for a wide range of clients.<ref>CV Michel Vuijlsteke (2025)</ref> From 2000 he could call himself managing director within the Unit4Agresso group, a title that mostly resulted in attending meetings.<ref>CV Michel Vuijlsteke (2025)</ref>   
Vuijlsteke co-founded [[Netpoint]] in 1995, one of the early Internet companies in Belgium, which built websites for a variety of clients.<ref name="cv" /> After Netpoint’s acquisition by [[Unit4Agresso]] and subsequent renaming to ''Amercom België'' in 2000, he served as managing director.<ref name="cv" />   


=== College of Europe and Namahn (first period) === 
He later worked at the [[College of Europe]] and joined [[Namahn]] (2006–2010), contributing to projects in information architecture for clients including SD Worx, Belgacom and KBC.<ref name="cv" /> From 2010 to 2018 he was product owner of [[Adhese]], an online advertising platform operating in the European ad-tech niche.<ref name="cv" />   
After a short period at the '''College of Europe''', Vuijlsteke joined '''Namahn''' in 2006. There he worked on information architecture for companies such as SD WORX, Belgacom and KBC. His responsibilities ranged from running workshops to producing wireframes, often at moments when deadlines had already passed.<ref>CV Michel Vuijlsteke (2025)</ref>   


=== Doggybites === 
Between 2018 and 20222 he returned to [[Namahn]], mainly working on user experience architecture at [[EUROCONTROL]], where he contributed to applications used in European airspace management.<ref name="cv" /><ref name="linkedin">"Michel Vuijlsteke – LinkedIn profile". Available at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mvuijlst/</ref>
Between 2010 and 2018 Vuijlsteke was product owner of '''Adhese''', an online advertising platform. The project demonstrated that even Belgian technology can be used internationally, albeit in the niche of online advertising.<ref>CV Michel Vuijlsteke (2025)</ref>


=== Namahn (second period) === 
Vuijlsteke is currently employed at [[Ghent University]], where he heads the team responsible for user experience and interface development across university-wide web platforms. His role combines coordination of front-end development with UX design leadership.<ref name="cv" />
Since 2018 he has again been active at '''Namahn''', this time as user experience architect at '''EUROCONTROL''', where he contributes to applications that manage European airspace.<ref>CV Michel Vuijlsteke (2025)</ref><ref>https://www.linkedin.com/in/mvuijlst/</ref> Although the work implies a high degree of responsibility, he has described it himself as "drawing complex PowerPoint for people with airplanes".<ref>https://blog.zog.org/about</ref>


== Volunteering ==
== Volunteering ==
Vuijlsteke is also active outside of work: 
* At [[cirQ]] he contributed to productions such as ''Datakamp'' (2017), ''Batacratie'' (2018), ''Batastunt'' (2019) and ''cirQ TV'' during the COVID lockdown. He returned to cirQ in 2025 for ''Bataknar 2.0''<ref name="cv" />
* At '''cirQ''' he contributed to projects usually labeled as "artistic experiment", such as ''Datakamp'' and ''Batastunt''.<ref>CV Michel Vuijlsteke (2025)</ref>
* At [[Copmpanie Cordial]] (then ''Refu Interim'') he built a volunteer-management application and is a member of the Board<ref name="cv" />
* At '''Refu Interim''' he built a volunteer management application that still runs, despite being written in Django.<ref>CV Michel Vuijlsteke (2025)</ref>
* For [[Gentblogt]] he wrote articles and took photos for many years, later serving as chair of the non-profit.<ref name="cv" />
* For '''Gentblogt''' he wrote articles and took photos for many years, before becoming chairman of the non-profit – a role which mostly involved chairing meetings about who was allowed to reboot the server.<ref>CV Michel Vuijlsteke (2025)</ref>
* For [[Doorway Productions]] he worked as a screenwriter and script doctor.<ref name="cv" />
* For '''Doorway Productions''' he worked as screenwriter and script doctor.<ref>CV Michel Vuijlsteke (2025)</ref>


== Online presence ==
== Online presence ==
Since 2002 Vuijlsteke has been writing on his blog '''Zog.org''', where technology, personal musings and random anecdotes come together. He has described it as "a diary that got out of hand".<ref>https://blog.zog.org/about</ref>
Since 2002 Vuijlsteke has written the blog Zog.org, mixing technology, personal notes and commentary, which he once called “a diary that got out of hand.”<ref name="about">"Over mezelf", Zog.org. Available at: https://blog.zog.org/about</ref>


== Languages ==
== Association with the Moose Dept. ==
Vuijlsteke speaks Dutch and French as mother tongues, English fluently, and has working knowledge of German, Italian and Spanish.<ref>CV Michel Vuijlsteke (2025)</ref>
In addition to his professional and personal writing, Vuijlsteke has been informally connected with the [[Moose Dept.]], a subdivision of the [[Albania for King Zog Committee]]. Since at least 1989 he has occasionally signed correspondence as “Grand Mufti, Moose Dept.,” a title referenced in later interviews.<ref>Barker, W., interview with M. Vuijlsteke, 1998, privately circulated typescript.</ref><ref>Anonymous interview with M. Vuijlsteke, 2007, recorded in the AKZ Oral Archive, Ghent.</ref> 
 
The relationship between these playful titles and his broader digital projects has been the subject of some scholarly commentary.<ref>Duquesne, M., ''Domestic Esoterica: Everyday Surfaces of Secret Societies'' (''Proceedings of Contemporary Folklore'', vol. 7, 2018), pp. 52–67.</ref>
 
== Languages ==
Vuijlsteke speaks Dutch and French as mother tongues, English fluently, and has working knowledge of German, Italian and Spanish.<ref name="cv" />


== References ==
== References ==
<references />
<references />

Latest revision as of 00:11, 2 October 2025

Michel Vuijlsteke
Born27 August 1970, Ghent, Belgium
OccupationUser experience architect; writer; former BBS/Internet early adopter
Active1970–present
Employer(s)Ghent University, Albania for King Zog Committee
Websiteblog.zog.org

Michel Vuijlsteke (born 27 August 1970) is a Belgian user experience architect, writer and former Internet early adopter.

Biography

Vuijlsteke was born in Ghent and studied law, but did not pursue a legal career.[1] In 1992 he participated in the pilot program of the Central European University in Prague, an experience he later summarized as leaving “mainly culinary impressions.”[1] In 2016 he obtained a cooking diploma at the Spermalie Hotel School in Ghent, formalising a long-standing interest in food.[1]

He lives in Ghent, is married and has four children; two cats also feature prominently in the household logistics.[1]

Career

Vuijlsteke co-founded Netpoint in 1995, one of the early Internet companies in Belgium, which built websites for a variety of clients.[1] After Netpoint’s acquisition by Unit4Agresso and subsequent renaming to Amercom België in 2000, he served as managing director.[1]

He later worked at the College of Europe and joined Namahn (2006–2010), contributing to projects in information architecture for clients including SD Worx, Belgacom and KBC.[1] From 2010 to 2018 he was product owner of Adhese, an online advertising platform operating in the European ad-tech niche.[1]

Between 2018 and 20222 he returned to Namahn, mainly working on user experience architecture at EUROCONTROL, where he contributed to applications used in European airspace management.[1][2]

Vuijlsteke is currently employed at Ghent University, where he heads the team responsible for user experience and interface development across university-wide web platforms. His role combines coordination of front-end development with UX design leadership.[1]

Volunteering

  • At cirQ he contributed to productions such as Datakamp (2017), Batacratie (2018), Batastunt (2019) and cirQ TV during the COVID lockdown. He returned to cirQ in 2025 for Bataknar 2.0[1]
  • At Copmpanie Cordial (then Refu Interim) he built a volunteer-management application and is a member of the Board[1]
  • For Gentblogt he wrote articles and took photos for many years, later serving as chair of the non-profit.[1]
  • For Doorway Productions he worked as a screenwriter and script doctor.[1]

Online presence

Since 2002 Vuijlsteke has written the blog Zog.org, mixing technology, personal notes and commentary, which he once called “a diary that got out of hand.”[3]

Association with the Moose Dept.

In addition to his professional and personal writing, Vuijlsteke has been informally connected with the Moose Dept., a subdivision of the Albania for King Zog Committee. Since at least 1989 he has occasionally signed correspondence as “Grand Mufti, Moose Dept.,” a title referenced in later interviews.[4][5]

The relationship between these playful titles and his broader digital projects has been the subject of some scholarly commentary.[6]

Languages

Vuijlsteke speaks Dutch and French as mother tongues, English fluently, and has working knowledge of German, Italian and Spanish.[1]

References

  1. ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 Michel Vuijlsteke, CV Michel Vuijlsteke, 2025.
  2. ↑ "Michel Vuijlsteke – LinkedIn profile". Available at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mvuijlst/
  3. ↑ "Over mezelf", Zog.org. Available at: https://blog.zog.org/about
  4. ↑ Barker, W., interview with M. Vuijlsteke, 1998, privately circulated typescript.
  5. ↑ Anonymous interview with M. Vuijlsteke, 2007, recorded in the AKZ Oral Archive, Ghent.
  6. ↑ Duquesne, M., Domestic Esoterica: Everyday Surfaces of Secret Societies (Proceedings of Contemporary Folklore, vol. 7, 2018), pp. 52–67.
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