My Creative Process

Whether working solo or managing a team, I’ve found success adapting a mix of design thinking models, primarily the Double Diamond model by the British Design Council, with a touch of Jake Knapp’s interpretation of the Stanford Design School's five-stage process (Empathize, Define, Ideate, Prototype, and Test).

Both models prioritize the needs and perspectives of the user, emphasizing the importance of human-centered design. They also emphasize iteration, acknowledging that design is an ongoing process requiring constant refinement. By combining elements of both models, I’m able to leverage the strengths of each to create a robust and adaptable creative process that is effective in all situations.

This approach serves as my go-to for various design challenges, including branding, illustrations, and scalable digital products. It guides teams through a structured and collaborative design thinking process, enabling them to solve complex problems and develop innovative solutions in four clearly defined steps.

  1. Discover: We deeply investigate the problem, conducting user interviews and research to empathize with their needs and pain points. We also involve key stakeholders to align user needs with business objectives.

  2. Define: We converge on data to identify themes and prioritize features based on overlaps between user and business needs. We synthesize observations into actionable items, creating user personas, problem statements, and identifying key constraints.

  3. Design: This is the creative stage where we generate and explore ideas from various perspectives. Guided by problem statements, we brainstorm, ideate, and prototype potential solutions in a low-risk environment. Sketches, mockups, and wireframes help visualize and test these solutions.

  4. Deliver: We conduct user testing, iterate on the solution, and refine any remaining issues. We finalize the UI design, create documentation for the development team, and ensure a smooth implementation of the production-ready solution in collaboration with developers and stakeholders.