The Design Strategy Process

This Design Strategy Process combines the UX Design and Design Thinking approaches, resulting in a complete iterative journey that encompasses scoping, researching, ideating, creating, and validating solutions for various types of complex design challenges. This hybrid approach includes scoping to ensure clarity and alignment with broader business goals and strategies from the outset. It’s important to note that this process is iterative, not strictly linear; insights gained from validation may loop back to ideation or research, driving further refinement and improvement of the design solutions.

Validate

Test, Refine,
Iterate

The Breakdown

(Note: The tools and artifacts listed are not a complete list; additional items can be added based on the specific requirements of the project, company and team.)

Scope
(Gather, Define, Align)

1. Gather requirements from teams and stakeholders involved.
2. Define the problem statement, parameters and goals.
3. Ensure all teams are aligned with the scope and requirements.

Tools: Strategy Workshops, Interviews, Surveys, Project Management Software (Asana, Trello, Jira), Communication Tools (Slack, Microsoft Teams)
Artifacts: Project Brief, Scope document, Research Plan, Project Schedule, Resource Allocation Plan

Research
(Inquire, Observe, Engage)

1. Inquire about the target audience and research participants, conduct market research, and analyze competitors.
2. Observe how people behave and interact with the business, product or service in real-world contexts.
3. Engage directly with people to gain firsthand insight and create opportunities for feedback.

Tools: Contextual Inquiry, Field Studies, Interviews, Surveys, Focus Groups, Usability tests, Market Research, Competitive Analysis, Analytics
Artifacts: Research Plan, Research Protocols, Research Reports

Ideate
(Define, Brainstorm, Sketch)

1. Define the product or service and audience, including challenges, needs, touchpoints, and journey.
2. Brainstorm possibilities and conceptualize ideas that address the above criteria.
3. Sketch for rapid visualization, exploration, evaluation of concepts, and iterate to refine and improve ideas.

Tools: Strategy Workshops, Brainstorm Sessions, Sketching Sessions
Artifacts: Personas, Journey Maps, Mind Maps, Affinity Diagrams, Feature Prioritization Matrix, Sitemap, Content Audits, Low-Fidelity Sketches, Wireframes or Prototypes

Create
(Prototype, Design, Build)

1. Develop high-fidelity prototypes based on the ideas generated during the ideation phase.
2. Design with consideration for brand identity and applicable design systems.
3. Build a functional product or service and iterate to refine and improve outcome.

Tools: Design Software, Prototyping Tools, Collaborations Tools, Development Tools
Artifacts: Wireframes, Mockups, High-Fidelity Prototypes, Design System, Developed Product

Validate
(Test, Refine, Iterate)

1. Test the product or service to gather feedback from audience.
2. Refine the design based on feedback and identified issues.
3. Continuously iterate on the design to implement improvements and conduct testing until optimal results are achieved.

Tools: Validation Tests, Prototype Evaluation, Analytics Tools, Feedback Tools
Artifacts: Testing Protocols, Testing Reports, Test Prototypes