My Design Process

"Design isn’t just about aesthetics. It’s the art of making things usable — be it an app, a gadget or a simple everyday object like a chair.

UX design is nothing without human interaction, and if a product isn’t fully able to serve its purpose, the design process is incomplete"

1. Empathize

Goal: Understand the user's needs, experiences, and challenges.
Activities:
- Conduct user research through interviews, observations, and surveys.
- Create personas to represent different user types.
- Develop empathy maps to visualize user emotions and thoughts.
Outcome: A deep understanding of the users and their pain points, which guides the design process.

2. Define

Goal: Clearly articulate the problem you are trying to solve.
Activities:
- Analyze research data to identify common themes and insights.
- Define the user problem statement or design challenge.
- Create a clear and concise problem statement that focuses on the user's needs.
Outcome: A well-defined problem that sets the direction for ideation and solution development.

3. Ideation

Goal: Generate a wide range of ideas and potential solutions.
Activities:
- Brainstorming sessions to explore different ideas.
- Use techniques like mind mapping, sketching, or storyboarding.
- Encourage creativity and explore unconventional ideas.
Outcome: A variety of possible solutions that address the user problem, from which the best ideas can be selected.

Goal: Create low-fidelity prototypes to explore potential solutions. My main tools here are Figma and sometimes I use Sketch/ Adobe XD or InVision as well.
Activities:
- Build simple prototypes, such as wireframes, mockups, or paper prototypes.
- Focus on functionality and user interaction rather than aesthetics.
- Iterate quickly, improving the design based on feedback.
Outcome: Tangible representations of your ideas that can be tested and refined.

Goal: Validate the prototypes with real users and turn the refined design into a final product and do several user test methods.
Activities:
- Conduct usability testing sessions to observe how users interact with the prototypes.
- Gather feedback on what works well and what needs improvement.
- Analyze test results to identify areas for refinement.
- Collaborate with developers to bring the improved design to life.
- Ensure the design is implemented according to specifications.
- Conduct post-launch testing to ensure everything functions as intended.
Outcome: Insights into user experiences that inform final iterations, leading to a product that meets user needs and business goals, ready for launch.

Goal: Continuously improve the product based on user feedback and evolving needs.
Activities:
- Monitor user feedback and analytics.
- Make necessary updates and improvements.
- Revisit the design thinking process if new challenges arise.
Outcome: A product that evolves over time, staying relevant and effective for users.