My Design Philosophy
Good product design must bring value to the company, value to the customer, and be well built.
Start with the problem, not the solution.
Remember the difference between what you think users do and what they actually do.
The importance of a company being able to profit from a product, the product solving a customers problem, and the product working well should all be aligned. Further shows the value in working as a team as not one part is more valuable than the other.
Starting with the root cause of a problem enables you to explore many different solutions that could help you resolve the problem, rather than getting attached to one solution prematurely.
It can be tempting to think you know what your users would do, feel or think. While I might empathize well with my users I need to remember that I am not the user and must not make assumptions on their behalf.
My Ideal Approach*
Step 1
Step 2
Step 3
Step 4
GET TO KNOW THE PROJECT TEAM
Introductions, roles, expectations, high level design scope.
DISCOVERY / RESEARCH
Understanding the problems you are trying to solve, the users & their needs, any constraints.
SYNTHESIZE & SHARE FINDINGS
Update strategic document/roadmap & design plan.
USER JOURNEY
Deep dive into the user journey and exploring personas, stories, task flows.
Step 5
Step 6
Step 7
Step 8
DESIGN EXPLORATION
Brainstorming, design sessions to explore solutions. Designing / prototyping and testing solutions. Design language.
DESIGN REFINEMENT
Refining chosen design direction, final content & visual design, prepare for engineering hand off.
HAND OFF
Work with engineering teams to ensure successful implementation.
MONITORING
Monitor performance to ensure success criteria met & discover possible enhancements.
* While this is my ideal approach it is important to note that the ideal approach is not always applicable. I find that one must be flexible as the actual approach often depends on many factors such as the project, resources, timelines, & constraints.