Design process is regarded as creative problem solving through a series of steps or a sequence of activities, which lead from initial concept to realization.
The design process builds on an agile way of working, which means that we might jump between the phases, go back and then move forward again. It is about constantly learning and moving forward, fail and learn quickly for a good result.
Each phase has several recommended activities. The activities depend on the needs you have in the project, as well as budget, time frames, priorities, goals, etc. These are set in the start of the project.
Each phase has several recommended activities. The activities depend on the needs you have in the project, as well as budget, time frames, priorities, goals, etc. These are set in the start of the project.
Central to the entire design process is to anchor the design by involving users, customers, and stakeholders in the design process. It is important to differentiate between the overall process and the design process. In this article, we focus on the process from a design perspective.
The process can be divided into 5 different phases. The Discovery, Strategy, Design, Build, and Delivery. Here are some examples of what's important in each phase.
Discover
The first part of the process is about learning all about your industry. We do this by getting to know each other and reading on the background material that is available, looking more closely at budgets, time frames and finding out what is available and what needs to be done. This phase lays the foundation, understanding and conditions for the project and is important for future deliveries.
⫷ Understand
⫷ Define
⫷ Plan the project
⫷ Purpose and goal of the project
⫷ Budget and needs
⫷ Define
⫷ Plan the project
⫷ Purpose and goal of the project
⫷ Budget and needs
Strategy
Next, we determine the best way to strategically meet the design goals of your brand.
We have several activities and tools we can use to create a better image, set goals and clarify the way forward. During this phase, you can be expected to receive and impact map, set up content strategies or anything else that is relevant to the project.
⫷ Impact mapping - purpose, goals, target groups and needs
⫷ Analyzes
⫷ Competitive analysis
⫷ Best practice
⫷ SWOT
⫷ Uses interviewers
⫷ Observations
⫷ Customer journey
⫷ Mapping touch-points
⫷ Current situation and define problems
⫷ Target group and its needs
⫷ Personas and user types
⫷ Story mapping - develop user flows and priorities
⫷ Analyzes
⫷ Competitive analysis
⫷ Best practice
⫷ SWOT
⫷ Uses interviewers
⫷ Observations
⫷ Customer journey
⫷ Mapping touch-points
⫷ Current situation and define problems
⫷ Target group and its needs
⫷ Personas and user types
⫷ Story mapping - develop user flows and priorities
Design
The design phase is where we build out the usage guidelines, user experience, and prototype the product. When we know the users and the goals in the strategy better and it is clear what, why and who we are going to do this for, we start with the design. Here we generate ideas and create concepts. During this process, it will feel like a lot is happening as it comes to look more and more visually. During this phase we deliver everything from concept workshops, wireframes to final design.
⫷ General ideas
⫷ Wireframes
⫷ Visualize
⫷ Workshops
⫷ Design studio
⫷ War room
⫷ Cardsorting
⫷ Prototype
⫷ Priority requirements
⫷ Detailed interaction design
⫷ User tests
⫷ Analysis and observations
⫷ Compilation of insights
⫷ Wireframes
⫷ Visualize
⫷ Workshops
⫷ Design studio
⫷ War room
⫷ Cardsorting
⫷ Prototype
⫷ Priority requirements
⫷ Detailed interaction design
⫷ User tests
⫷ Analysis and observations
⫷ Compilation of insights
Build
I am connected with some pretty talented and creative devs, they’ll get the job done right. It is important that all parties work together during all parts of the project so that it is not just a handover to the developers. The entire team works together and shares their special skills. The design and development phase will take place in parallel with each other in close collaboration. Simplified, you can say that design is in two sprints at the same time, the one that is developed and deliver to the upcoming sprint. Here we also perform tests continuously.
⫷ Begin interface development
⫷ Make changes and new developments
⫷ Release new version
⫷ Test, test, test
⫷ Make changes and new developments
⫷ Release new version
⫷ Test, test, test
Deliver
Finally, we package it all up and deliver the product to you. On time and on budget. This may be the end of some projects where the customer takes over the project. For larger projects, this is just the beginning of the journey. It is now that we begin to se the results, measure, improve and execute new designs to achieve the goals and strategies we set at the beginning of the project. It is now that we start to get more data and get to know our target group in a better way and then jump back into the sketches and flows to make them even better.
⫷ BAM!
⫷ Start over again.. Do it bigger and better :)
⫷ Start over again.. Do it bigger and better :)
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