7 Step Design Process

By: A. R. Christian

Process Makes Perfect

In design, projects always change, but the process doesn’t. It is your key to finding the right solution for your client every time. A good design process helps you break down any project, big or small, into organized sections. So, no matter what you’re working on, mastering this is your key to success.

1 Define The Problem

Whether it’s a poster, a logo, or a brand identity, you are designing a solution. So, your first step is to define the problem. What is the goal of this project? What does your design need to communicate? Who is the intended audience? Ask questions and take notes. The more information you can gather in this step, the better off you will be.

2 Research and Inspiration

Researching has never been easier than it is today. Take the information you gathered in step one and start digging. Use all of the tools at your disposal. What is the product, service, or idea, and how does it work? Can you try the product? Who is your intended audience and what does day-to-day life look like for them?

Pull from credible sources online, conduct surveys, visit competitors, pull up area demographics, and see what other designers are doing to solve similar problems. Research informs design, generates content, and is also a great place to draw inspiration.

3 Ideation

Create mood boards and color palettes to help you visualize concepts and then, start sketching. Whether you’re using a pencil and paper or working digitally, sketch out as many ideas as possible. One way to do this is to set a timer for two minutes and see how many different thumbnail sketches you can come up with. Even if you think an idea won’t work, get it out of your head and onto the page. Reset the timer and repeat until you have a solid set of ideas to move forward with.

4 Design Iterations

Look through your sketches critically. Consider which have the most potential to be solutions. Develop those ideas. Pull from your research, mood boards, color palettes, and sketches. One layout idea could be executed in several ways. Design different iterations and see what works best. Above all, design with intent.

5 Prototyping

Construct solid prototypes. These should be full-sized (or to scale), finalized designs that are fully realized potential solutions. In addition to design, craftsmanship is key here.

6 Testing and Critique

Open your design up to critique. Use criticism constructively and don’t be so attached to your work that you aren’t willing to make changes. While this can be the final step, there will often be ways the design could improve. Make note of reactions, comments, and critiques so that you can use this feedback to make adjustments.

7 Revising

Take all of that feedback and apply it to your design. Make the necessary revisions and don’t allow yourself to get hung up on what didn’t work. Sometimes a design just needs to be tweaked a little, other times you may have to revisit previous steps. Either way, keep going and trust the process. You will get there.

As a designer, it is important to know how to find the right solution for your client. Remember, function over form. A design can be beautiful but, if it doesn’t solve the problem, your work is not done.

https://www.aiga.org: My Design Process