The first step towards a successful design is to ensure that we are “solving the right problem.” Therefore, during our initial meeting with stakeholders, we’ll work together to develop a clear and concise problem statement. This collaborative exercise can greatly improve the overall design process. Depending on the client’s level of familiarity, they may have a deep understanding of the problem, be unsure about which problem to tackle, or even have multiple issues to address. A problem statement serves as a vital reference point throughout the milestones and is a crucial tool in achieving our ultimate KPI.

This focuses on the business itself. We scrutinize key competitors to evaluate their offerings and whether they are direct or indirect competitors. To achieve a comprehensive understanding, I prefer to download their applications and explore their services in detail. This method enables us to conduct a thorough competitive analysis, which is crucial for identifying opportunities to improve the user experience for the maximum number of users.

After gaining a thorough understanding of the competition, target users, and the problem we aim to solve, I proceed to gather direct user input using a Google form. Creating surveys on Google forms is a skill I have mastered, allowing me to generate surveys quickly. Although I have used services such as Survey Monkey and others, I prefer Google Forms because it is free and a powerful tool if used correctly. The collected data is stored in a Google Sheet, and I use Autocrat to compile the responses and deliver them to my team in a Google Doc, which I can easily share with them..

The subsequent step is to engage in direct communication with users by conducting follow-up interviews to gain a more comprehensive understanding of their survey responses. On occasion, I visit users in their real-world environment to gain valuable insight into what is working well and identify any pain points they may have. In this phase, I have also conducted usability tests on existing or competitor products. For instance, while developing a septic backup alarm that would alert users via text message at OnSmart, I traveled to several locations to interview users.

Now, I move on to develop and outline the user journey map. I consider what success would look like for our users and whether existing or competitor products have any areas where users drop off or encounter critical errors due to delivery. Once we have gathered sufficient information, my team and I proceed to create the Minimum Viable Product (MVP), which serves as our starting point for the ideation phase of the design process. We engage in a host of ideation techniques using sticky notes, such as brainstorming, brain dumping, SCAMPER, storyboarding, mind mapping, and worst possible idea, among others, to stimulate the team’s creativity.

Now that I have a multitude of ideas, I can start designing the product. This is where my fine art degree finally comes in handy. I sketch out numerous ideas and iterations of the potential product, and solicit feedback from colleagues around the office or through Discord. I frequently use Discord for this purpose, as I have created a server where I and other designers can share ideas and get feedback. Discord’s private areas enable me to restrict access to information about a product to only a select few invited guests

After completing the sketches and gathering feedback, I move on to building wireframes in Figma. Although I also use Adobe XD, I prefer Figma because it is widely used among designers, making it easier to share designs and receive additional feedback. Additionally, it’s free to download, which makes it accessible to stakeholders without requiring them to have a Creative Cloud account. However, if I’m working on projects that require heavy graphics, animations, and photos, I tend to switch to XD as it integrates better with Illustrator, Photoshop, Premiere, and InDesign.

Now that I have a basic framework, I can begin conducting usability testing with colleagues and through my Discord server. This helps me identify any issues as I move towards high-fidelity designs. I repeat this step multiple times to ensure that I can react to feedback and improve the design. Once I have a fully functional high-fidelity design that includes pictures, animations, and interactions, I move on to the second round of usability testing with real-world users. While it’s helpful to get feedback from colleagues and friends, there’s no substitute for feedback from real-world users. Once I receive their feedback, I can make any necessary adjustments before moving on to the final stages of the design process

Handoff to engineering typically marks an exciting stage in the product development process. After conducting multiple rounds of usability testing and perfecting the high-fidelity prototype, it’s time to entrust the engineering team with bringing the product to life. It’s always fulfilling to see the final product come together, whether the engineering team is in-house or located in a different part of the world. Despite the inevitable exhaustion that comes with this phase, working alongside other dedicated professionals to deliver a polished product makes it all worth it.