Double Diamond Design Process
How I use the Double Diamond — discover, define, design, deliver — as the spine of every product engagement.
The Double Diamond is a design methodology developed by the Design Council (UK). The two diamonds represent a process of exploring an issue more widely or deeply (divergent thinking) and then taking focused action (convergent thinking).
Discover
The first diamond starts with understanding the actual problem — not assuming it. This means spending time with the people affected: user interviews, observation, contextual research.
From my portfolio: design sprint discovery sessions, user interview documentation.
Define
Discovery findings reframe the challenge. This is where I tighten scope, eliminate noise, and align the team on what we're actually solving. The output is a brief the team can build against — not the brief they started with.
Examples: insight themes from user interview synthesis, persona documentation.
Design
The second diamond opens up again: generating multiple responses to the defined problem, seeking lateral inspiration, running co-design with different stakeholders.
Examples: wireframes, prototypes, concept explorations.
Deliver
Delivery means testing at small scale, discarding what doesn't work, and sharpening what does. I treat design-system specifications, documentation, developer handoff, and success measurement as integral to delivery — not afterthoughts. Those measurements feed the next iteration.
