Design Process
Idea
I meet with the client to learn their vision of the project. I ask a number of questions to identify the scope and needs, as well as ensuring I understand what the heart of the project is. If there is already a brand identity I will look at that for direction, otherwise, we will talk address what the overall brand should look and feel like.
Understanding the Vision
I begin researching other products and best practices related to the project. If applicable, I will also begin interviewing primary users to fully understand what their current gaps are and what they need. At this stage I will also (if applicable) start building out the branding, or identity, of the product. The branding is crucial to the design of the product and creates the foundation for everything else.
Research & Branding
The first ideations of the design. Here I capture all the key functions of the product , begin story and mood boarding, and create lo-fidelity wireframes (e.g. scribbles and doodles) so I can start putting the pieces together.
Vision & Low-Fidelity Wireframes
I create the whole website or app as high-fidelity wireframes & interactive prototypes. This involves creating the product in primarily black & white in order to focus on the functionality and flow of the product. I have found this to be a great way to work through a lot of the problem statements and identify any gaps, as well as allowing the client to really get a good sense of the overall end goal before delving into the high-fidelity mockups. This stage is the most iterative, where I can do a design dozens of times and have on-going discussions with the users, stakeholders, and developers.
High-fidelity Wireframes & Prototypes
Finally the pieces are all coming together! After ensuring the functional parts are all there, I begin designing what the end product will actually look and feel like. Colors, images, and text all come together to bring the product to life. The final output is a full mockup of the product, as well as a developer packet (fonts, images, color codes, etc…) and prototypes.
High-fidelity Designs and Mockups
The story of the product needs to be conveyed to the target users. At this stage I create copy, digital media, and more in order to best capture the vision and goal of the product. Users need to be able to understand why the product is for them, and why it matters.
Marketing Strategy & Materials
User Feedback and Final Deliverables
The end of the journey! The product is created, the marketing is in full swing, and the only thing left to do is identify actionable user feedback, make changes and edits based on it, and continue to improve the product. A bittersweet time when the product I’ve poured my heart in to is “done” and out in the world. Cheers!
End Product
