The Design Process
- The design process is a human-centred, iterative model used to develop creative and effective solutions.
- It encourages empathy, critical thinking, collaboration, and innovation.
The Five Stages of the Design Process
- Empathise
- Define the Project
- Ideation and Modelling
- Designing a Solution
- Presenting a Solution
The design process is not always linear. Designers often revisit earlier stages as new insights emerge or challenges arise.
Stage 1 - Empathise
Empathise Stage (Design Process)
Discover the needs, motivations, behaviours, and experiences of the intended user.
- Purpose: Gain insight into the user’s world to inform meaningful design decisions.
- Key Activities:
- Conduct interviews, observations, and shadowing
- Identify pain points, workarounds, and unmet needs
- Use empathy maps, user journeys, and personas
- Ask open questions and listen actively
- Avoid assumptions, focus on the user’s perspective
- Goal: Build a clear picture of the user’s needs before defining the problem.
When conducting user research, focus on open-ended questions that encourage users to share their experiences and emotions.
- Think of the empathize stage as putting yourself in the user's shoes.
- Just as a detective gathers clues to solve a mystery, designers collect insights to uncover the true needs of their users.
Stage 2 - Define the Project
Define Stage (Design Process)
Clearly articulate the design challenge based on user insights.
- Purpose: Frame a focused and meaningful design problem.
- Key Activities:
- Analyse and synthesise research findings
- Identify key user needs and design opportunities
- Write a clear, concise design brief with goals and constraints
- Prioritise needs based on impact and feasibility
- Set success criteria to evaluate solutions later
- Goal: Provide a clear starting point to guide ideation and development.
- A well-defined problem statement is specific, user-centered, and actionable. It serves as a guiding light for the entire design process.
- It clarifies the problem, aligns the team, and focuses efforts on meaningful, innovative solutions.
Problem Statement: "How might we design a more accessible public transportation system for elderly users with mobility challenges?"
Stage 3 - Ideation and Modelling
Ideation & Modelling Stage (Design Process)
Explore a wide range of creative ideas and develop early representations.
- Purpose: Generate and communicate potential solutions.
- Key Activities:
- Brainstorm without judgement to encourage originality
- Use sketching, mind maps, and concept modelling
- Explore multiple directions and combinations
- Share ideas for feedback and refinement
- Build simple mock-ups or prototypes to visualise ideas
- Goal: Develop promising ideas worth taking into detailed design.
Ideation encourages creative thinking, explores diverse solutions, and reduces risk through early concept testing.
- Imagine ideation as a chef experimenting with different ingredients to create a new dish.
- The goal is to explore a variety of combinations before selecting the best recipe.
Stage 4 - Designing a Solution
Designing a Solution Stage (Design Process)
Develop the intended solution through iterative model–test–refine cycles.
Model–Test–Refine Cycle
- An iterative development process where designers create prototypes, test them with users, and apply feedback to improve the design.
- This cycle is repeated until the product meets all user requirements and performs effectively.
- Purpose: Turn a promising idea into a functional, validated design.
- Key Activities:
- Create detailed drawings, CAD models, or specifications
- Build prototypes to test performance, function, and usability
- Collect feedback and analyse test results
- Refine the design through multiple iterations
- Ensure alignment with the design brief and user needs
- Goal: Finalise a well-developed solution that is ready to present and meets the identified problem.
- Iteration is a core principle of the design process.
- Designers continuously refine their solutions to ensure they meet user needs and design criteria.
A team designing a new smartphone app might create a series of prototypes, each with increasing levels of detail, to test user interactions and gather feedback.
Stage 5 - Presenting a Solution
Presenting a Solution (Design Process)
Effectively communicate the final design and its development process.
- Purpose: Share the outcome and justify the design decisions.
- Key Activities:
- Develop a portfolio or presentation of the design journey
- Use visuals, renderings, models, and user testing outcomes
- Explain how the solution addresses the original brief
- Highlight key features and benefits
- Reflect on the process and areas for future improvement
- Goal: Demonstrate the value and success of the final design.
High quality presentation secures stakeholder support, clearly communicates design intent, and gathers feedback for future improvement.
When presenting a solution, focus on the value it provides to users and how it addresses the defined problem.
- Presenting a solution is like pitching a movie to a studio.
- You need to convey the story, characters, and unique selling points to capture the audience's interest and secure their support.
Why the Design Process Matters
- Structured Creativity: Provides a roadmap for turning ideas into tangible solutions.
- User-Centered: Ensures that designs meet the needs and expectations of users.
- Iterative: Encourages continuous improvement and refinement.
