The Double Diamond Process
In 2018, I promoted, implemented, and customized the Double Diamond design process at Signafire.
The Implementation
Why Implement a Process?
As the first designer hired at a big data analytics startup, trial and error taught me my most valuable lessons. One of those lessons was that bypassing problem research and definition can result in designers solving the wrong problem to begin with, especially when dealing with complex and large scale products. Furthermore, with rapid prototypes quickly turning into client-facing features, we often forget to validate our solutions with the proper user testing.
To counteract this outcome, I resolved to implement a design process that would not only ensure that the team consistently takes the appropriate steps, but would also secure a suitable amount of time and resources for projects from stakeholders and executives.
Why the Double Diamond?
After lots of research, I settled on the Double Diamond process, as it aligned with the design thinking and steps the team was already intuitively inclined to take. Once my team and I started applying the process to new projects, it was just a matter of trial and error, incorporating feedback from the product team, and iteration until we had a system customized to the team’s and the company’s needs.
The Impact
Proper enforcement of the Double Diamond design process helped us:
Without the proper research, we can’t know what the real problem is and may instead end up solving an assumed problem.
To make sense of any challenge, we need to frame the problem. Without knowing what the problem is, it can’t be solved.
The process serves as a checklist and as an inventory of methods the team can apply to each project.
Research often reveals additional challenges and opportunities that we weren't aware of yet.
With our checklist of steps in hand and an approximate understanding of the project outcome size, we can more efficiently scope projects and assign resources in advance.
With the proper documentation we have lots of research to fall back on and use as a basis for future projects. It also encourages knowledge sharing between project contributors and stakeholders.
The design methods applied during each phase encourage us to collect input from outside the product and design teams.
The Process
The Double Diamond is a process that guides design teams in thoroughly understanding a problem and exploring creative and innovative solutions.
The process tackles challenges in 4 phases: Discover, Define, Develop, and Deliver.
During the first phase, you gain a deep understanding of the problem you’re facing, gather insight into the current condition, and build and challenge your understanding of the user’s pain points and needs.
The goal of the second phase is to define and frame your problem by making sense of all findings from the first phase. During this phase you might also uncover potential opportunity areas.
Throughout the third stage, you begin exploring possible solutions, generate as many ideas as possible, and evaluate them based on the framed problem.
During the last phase, initial ideas are narrowed down until the final solution is evaluated, iterated on, finalized, and delivered.
Phases can be diverging or converging:
During diverging phases it’s important to keep an open mind. Thinking broadly and without limitations lays the groundwork for not limiting your possibilities during the following converging phase.
During converging phases you do the opposite. You bring your focus back, get your ideas organized, and make sense of your findings. This is when you begin identifying key problems (Phase 2) and viable solutions (Phase 3).