Process
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8 min read
How I Structure Every Design Project
After dozens of projects, my process has settled into a rhythm. Discovery, direction, delivery — and what actually happens in between.
Phase one: discovery (actually)
Discovery is the phase most often rushed, most often abbreviated, and most often the cause of late revisions. I have started building a hard rule: I do not open Figma until I have answered three questions. Who is the most important user? What do we need them to believe after their first visit? What does success look like in three months, not three weeks? These questions sound obvious. They are almost never answered before design begins.
Direction as a single clear bet
The second phase is direction — not concepts plural, but a single clear design direction presented with full conviction. I stopped doing three options years ago. Three options say: I don’t know which is right, you choose. One direction says: I have thought carefully about this and I believe this is the best approach. Most clients respond better to that. And when they push back, the conversation is more productive because there is something real to push back against.