My design process
I'm transparent and confident about how I do things, which sets me apart.
.jpg)
Overview
Many agencies claim high results but don't explain how they get there. During customer interviews, I've learned that it's important to show how things work, so I refined a process that's tuned to fit a variety of project types.
Understand
Before I can design anything, I need to understand your company's goals and how you provide for your customers. During this time I'll also research analytics and review whatever company information I'm provided with.
Research market
It can be enlightening to hear what real people have to say about an existing product or design in user testing. The feedback is often helpful in identifying core opportunities for improvement, but it also unifies everyone when the input is from a third party. The other aspect of market research is exploring competitors or similar players that provide ideas on both good and bad approaches.
Compile inspiration
I love this step. I sift through countless ideas and designs to find a handful of examples that feel really on point for the project, which is fun. You're more than welcome to add examples to the mix that they want to be referred to for inspiration as well. When a good batch is brewed we all look at the examples together and weed out the ones that don't make the cut. It's good to get aligned on what ideas feel right and can potentially be worked in
.svg)
Sketch
This is exactly what it sounds like. I pull out my notebook and jot down all the ideas that come to mind. For branding projects, this means I'm trying out shapes for logos and patterns; for websites and apps I'm wireframing layouts; for graphics I'm drawing rough illustrations. I can try a lot of things and fail fast. This step also includes writing up the sitemap and information architecture for web and app projects.
Design / build
It's finally time to actually create stuff now that I've got a good understanding of your project, the market research is in, we agree on inspiration, and I've worked through concepts on paper. I've never designed something my client didn't like on the first try using this process.
Review accessibility
As the designer, I feel an obligation to provide a product that can be used by people regardless of physical capabilities. Refer to the accessibility guide for details.
Optimize
Different projects require different types of optimization. Websites should have images carefully compressed, code minified, and SEO. Print files need to be exported using printer-friendly resolutions and colors. Apps and branding require their own optimization as well.
.svg)
Validate
Once the designs and prototypes are complete, it's smart to go through a cycle of tests and see if the pain points discovered in the user research phase have been reconciled.
Deliver
When delivering designs, my typical procedure is to share a cloud link with any project files and documents. By default, photos are exported as JPG or PNG and graphics are exported as SVG. I design in code; however, if it requires work in design software, I make those source files available. Delivering a full website project means publishing the site to the internet and providing CMS access.
I worked with Isaac as a peer in Senior-level UX Designer roles while working on a project to establish a design system for our team at Microsoft. Isaac and I quickly developed trust with each other because we shared a mutual commitment to continuous improvement and high standards.
Isaac is detail-oriented and committed to always finding the best possible solution for a problem. He was able to help the less experienced on our team get up to speed and work through complex processes in Figma. He never settled for just the first idea and took the lead in keeping our system organized. He was always a joy to have around because of his interest in learning, trying new things, and his positive attitude and energy.
This makes him not just a good collaborator, but an enduring friend.
Senior UX Designer at Microsoft
-2.jpeg)