This is our methodology at The Design Gym.

1. the weekend workout
Why We do it: Mindset Guidelines:
To give you a foundation of the design process, Enjoy yourself. This will be a lot of information,
and enough knowledge to be able to practice these but remember to have fun. Remaining calm under
skills on your projects. You won’t be able to run a pressure is a key design skill.
marathon on Monday, but you’ll have the tools and
techniques to continue your training.
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2. the five phases
Examine Understand Ideate Experiment Distil
Dig into the Go deeper and Have lots of Try some things Strip your
problem. Look find patterns. ideas, good out. Make some solution down
at the history, Establish open and bad. Don’t things. Fail to the essentials
the context, questions to stop at the cheap and fast. and tell the
the objects, build on. obvious or the story to others.
and (most impossible.
importantly) the
people involved.
*It’s a journey and it’s good to have a plan. Each phase change is a great place to stop and reflect.
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3. there are three Modes
Open Explore Close
Go wide! Opening is When we have opened... Closing is the time for
for divergent thinking. Well, there’s lots to convergent thinking.
When we are opening, dig into. Explore Organize your
we’re not closing. It’s by combining and thoughts. Decide what
not about good ideas building on what you’ve explorations were
or bad ideas, it’s about opened. Great insights fruitful and which were
getting started and and ideas can come less so. Choose the best
pushing the boundaries. from making those ideas and information
connections. and move forward.
*You can’t open and close at the same time.
**If an important point comes up but it’s not the right time, write it down and get back to it when it is the right time.
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4. phases & modes
Open and close each phase
Examine Understand Ideate Experiment Distil
*This is how we do it.
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5. Examine Understand Ideate Experiment Distil
examine
Meet the world
Why We do it: Open Explore Close
We want to build solutions that respond to deep Define your Interview people of Capture interviews
human needs, that are economically feasible and audience interest immediately
technologically possible. That’s why we begin
with understanding users and expand into deeper Benchmark existing Visit spaces and Share team
solutions places knowledge
secondary research.
Plan your research Discuss findings Retell stories
Mindset Guidelines: Choose your
methods
Cast the widest net possible in the time you have.
Dig deep, follow leads, meet everyone. Ask lots of
questions and listen more than you speak.
*Talk to many types of people; *Visit places where your *Doing research as a team *Don’t pass judgement;
those who will use your problem exists. Go to where improves your accuracy. More capture everything and think
solution, those who will resist the people are to capture better eyes and ears on the ground is about what makes sense later.
it, experts, and more. information. better.
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6. Examine Understand Ideate Experiment Distil
understand
Make sense of things
Why We do it: Open Explore Close
Data without structure isn’t much help. By Sort data Apply information Develop insights
organizing, clustering and discovering themes, frameworks
we create information and knowledge. Structured Cluster data into Propose hypotheses
information creates insight. groups, themes and Resort and cluster
patterns information Generate ideation
areas
Identify and name Identify trends
patterns
Mindset Guidelines: Abstract and map
information
Look at the problem from many sides - map
interactions, processes and patterns. Develop
theories and test them. Follow your slow hunches.
*Sorting along a timeline is just *Naming clusters and themes *Work in groups to push each *Tell and retell your data
one simple framework. Add helps teams remember and other to be thorough, slow, and stories from different vantage
dimensions to the data to make abstract the information. tough in your thinking. points.
sense of it all.
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7. Examine Understand Ideate Experiment Distil
ideate
Have lots of ideas
Why We do it: Open Explore Close
Many people stop at the first ideas. Pushing Set brainstorming Cluster ideas by Combine, cross
past, going deeper is where the gold is. More rules and group themes (design, pollinate and
ideas means more choice and the possibility of mindset features, feasibility, enhance ideas
combining the best aspects of many ideas. price)
Create ideation Idea selection
prompts from Discuss trends in by group votes
identified needs ideas or other sorting
criterion
Mindset Guidelines: Ideate in missing
spaces, build in
important spaces
Accept that having bad ideas is part of the
process. Bad ideas can turn out to be unexpectedly
amazing. Shoot for quantity over quality. Critique
later. Stay positive.
*Explore different ideation *Don’t stop ideating! You can *Play by the rules of ideation! *Take time to translate your
methods like sketching, role keep ideating throughout the Appoint a group facilitator to insights into powerful prompts.
playing, collage... whole design process. keep your team honest.
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8. Examine Understand Ideate Experiment Distil
experiment
Make it real
Why We do it: Open Explore Close
This is the way to bring your idea to life and Expand ideas into Experiment with Share your
explore its place in the real world. Prototyping an user scenarios and various prototyping prototypes
idea makes it tangible and allows you to share it, use cases mediums and vary
gather feedback and iterate on your concepts. fidelity Iterate and evolve
Establish prototypes as you
constraints Refine and evolve gather feedback
prototypes
Choose prototyping Capture your
Mindset Guidelines: medium and fidelity learnings
It’s not about getting it right, it’s about getting
feedback and improving. Don’t fall in love with
your prototypes! Be open to criticism - the best
learnings are there.
*Explore multiple solutions, not *Document through photos, *Seek collaborative input *You can (and should)
just one. video demos and sketches as through direct interaction. Get prototype anything.
you go, in order to track your your users to play with your
evolution. prototypes.
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9. Examine Understand Ideate Experiment Distil
experiment
Three kinds of prototypes
Role look and feel implementation
These prototypes focus on This is the most common How will the idea be produced
everything surrounding the type of prototype; something and delivered to people?
idea itself. They examine the you can touch and feel that These prototypes focus on
benefits that the user will explores what the users the logistics of making your
experience, the function of the experience will be with an idea real; business models,
concept in the person’s life, object or service. These production processes,
and the context the concept artefacts help to define the technology. The nuts and bolts
will exist in. concrete sensory experience of of bringing an idea to life in
interacting with your idea. the real world.
*Storyboards, videos, *Looks-like model, works- *Business models, value
bodystorming, journey like model, mood boards, propositions, cost / revenue,
mapping, scenario wireframing, interactive technical specs, partnerships,
diagramming demos, volume study, paper production methods,
prototypes distribution, proof of concept
prototypes
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10. Examine Understand Ideate Experiment Distil
Distil
Boil it down
Why We do it: Open Explore Close
Great ideas are a great start - but a great story Reflect - Debrief Refine your story Edit and simplify
helps people connect with your idea - and helps the internally on your story
idea to spread. Know your audience to connect lessons learned Retell to live
with them better. And be clear on what you want audiences in safe Find ways to make
Evaluate the spaces your story “sticky”
them to remember when they leave.
process so far
Try multiple story Share and reshare
Identify your lines your story
Mindset Guidelines: project’s strengths
Incorporate
feedback as you go
Couch the premise of your story as an adventure
- your idea starts with a real problem, and your
story ends with the resolution of the problem.
*Get clear on the points you *Know your audience. What *Rehearse in front of live *Try lots of approaches to your
want people to remember when are their expectations and people. Get feedback and use it. story.
they leave the room - what will mindset? How will they hear
they tell others? your story?
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11. Cheat Sheet
Summary Reflect
Evaluate
Refine
Retell
Rehearse
Edit
Define
Share
Mode and phase space
Distil
Prototype Play Expose to
Make Iterate users, team
Why We do it: Combine
Experiment
The five phases and the three modes are basic
design laws...like gravity, you can defy them, but
you pay the price! You can skip steps - but you Brainstorm Organize Select
often have to show your work, and how you got Bodystorm
there. The phases and modes can help narrate your
process. Ideate
Mindset Guidelines: Cluster Mapping Reframe
Reorganize User types “How might
There is no one clear path to success. Knowing the Retell Pain Points we?”
space that the paths can take place in can help you
and your team move freely, depending on your Understand
time and design constraints.
Define Interview Retell
Prepare Visit Record
Benchmark Discuss
Align Execute
Examine Plan
Open Explore Close
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