The hardest material on earth? Actually, we find it quite flexible.
What’s the double diamond model?
A creative process approach used by designers from many disciplines. Different specialties apply different approaches, but the frame remains the same: a Double Diamond model, as named by the Design Council.
In every creative process, we have a flood of ideas. This is referred to as “divergent thinking”. These ideas are focused and narrowed down to the best one, a process known as “convergent thinking”. Visualised, this forms a diamond shape.
If you couldn’t guess by the name, we double down: one diamond represents the problem-defining process, and the second, the solution. The first diamond is key. If ignored, people often find out too late that the wrong problem is being solved.
The phases:
Discover – Let’s get this project started. We look at the world with fresh eyes, trying to notice new things and gather insights. Collaboration casts different light and helps to fully illuminate the issue or task at hand.
Define – Find out what we’re really dealing with. We digest all the possibilities from the first phase, and come up with values. What’s a priority? What is attainable? The final result is a crystal-clear brief that gets to the heart of the problem.
Develop – Time to create solutions and concepts, get prototyping and testing. A mix of experience and trial and error helps to improve and choose the best solutions.
Delivery – Game on. Everything is in place to finish, produce and launch the final product, implement the solution in an effective, efficient way.
Every process is different, but this methodology can always be applied. Of course, the creative process is never simple. But what fun would it be if it were?
