Common steps in the
design process
A process of thinking that I was training for during the past 10 years
As an architect and urban designer I am trained to think of navigating the user in different "rooms" of public and private spaces. The analogy is clear - The main central street, that every city or neighborhood has is actually its landing page. This main street is usually also the main "jewel" of the area, where most of the public is "browsing".
Step 1 Empathize
My background in architecture (msc) and urban design(msc) offers me a solid ground of knowledge in conducting research, empathizing with users and providing user centered solutions. In the 1st step methods like interviews, observation and analysis of strategies regarding the specific area are used.
Step 2 Define
In order to achieve a successful design it is important to first draw conclusions based on the research that was conducted in the previous step. Thus defining the problem but also the goals that the new design aspires to achieve is crucial.
Step 3 Ideate
In this creative process multiple ideas area generated regarding the design and roughly sketched. This helps to think out of the box and come up with a preferable solution.
Step 4 Prototype
A final design is generated based on the decisions made on the ideation phase but also on a constant dialogue between designers and stakeholders.
The 5 phases of the design process
While different fields of design have undoubtedly many things in common, I was fascinated by the possibility of the fast design circles that give the opportunity to test and improve the digital products before they are actually build. This process allows designers to create products that match the mental model of the users and provide them with elegant solutions.