Approach

Design Process



Explore + Define

The exploration phase marks the beginning of the design project. During this time, technical requirements are gathered, business goals are determined, user research is conducted and initial project plans are defined. This allows for the formation of cross-functional teams, created specifically with the end-product in mind. Upon completion of this phase, a design brief is written and delivered to the client. This document serves as the guide for the project and outlines all steps with detailed deliverables and objectives.

Design artifacts created during this phase include:

  • Business Requirements

  • Technical Specifications

  • User Research

  • Persona Creation

  • User Journey Maps

  • Design Brief + Timeline


Design + Validate

In the first of the design phases, user flows and initial product functionality are determined. This allows low fidelity wireframes and functional prototypes to be created quickly. By creating documentation, the thinking behind our initial decisions can be communicated to the stakeholders. This allows for productive design reviews that lead to stakeholder approval. Once approved by the business team, initial testing is conducted to gather feedback and gain validation for our decisions. Initial components are reviewed and shared with developers. Feedback, results and new requirements are then incorporated into the next phase of design. 

Design artifacts created during this phase include:

  • Wireframes + Interaction Workflows

  • Storyboards and Interaction documentation

  • Low to medium fidelity prototypes

  • User Testing + Analysis

Test + Refine

In the second phase of design, an emphasis is placed on further testing and refinement. High fidelity visual designs are created to communicate the look and feel of the end product. These designs are converted into realistic prototypes, ready for in-depth user testing. Realistic data and functionality are utilized to guarantee an experience as close to the developed product as possible. During this stage, design patterns and styles can also be handed over to developers. Test scripts are  written with user goals in mind. Finally, results are gathered and analyzed, which could result in additional design phases. 

Design artifacts created during this phase include:

  • Sketch to Invision + Hype Pro Coded prototypes

  • Product Demos + Interactive Prototypes

  • User Testing + Validation

  • Final Design Documentation

Develop + Deploy

During this final phase, visual designs are prepared for final review and hand-off to development. Throughout each phase, design and development work together to build components and patterns that are scalable and easily incorporated into the final product. Pattern libraries are accompanied by standards documentation and redlines. Once the final phase of design is successfully completed, ongoing support and QA ensures a successful product launch. 

Design artifacts created during this phase include:

  • Interactive Components

  • Pattern Libraries

  • HTML + CSS Standards

  • Design Specifications

  • Design QA Documents

Tools

Design is much more than simply the tools one uses to create a visual. Here are some of the tools that have aided in my design process:

Design

  • Sketch

  • Figma

  • Photoshop

  • Illustrator

  • InDesign

  • Dreamweaver

  • XD

Prototyping

  • Invision

  • Hype Pro

  • Proto.io

  • Axure

  • Keynote