In our first class of the semester, we were introduced to the fundamentals of User Experience (UX) design and Service Design. We discussed how UX is all about designing products, systems, and services that are useful, easy to use, and delightful for the user — keeping humans and their needs at the heart of the design process. We also explored different design models like the Double Diamond (Design Council), Human-Centred Design (IDEO), and Design Thinking (d.school), and looked at how research, collaboration, and iteration are essential parts of creating meaningful designs. This helped set the tone for thinking critically about how UX and service design can create real-world impact beyond just digital products.
Out of all the design methods I looked into, the Double Diamond is the one I was most familiar with. It’s a process that helps you explore a lot of different ideas (diverge) and then narrow them down (converge) during both the discovery and design phases. This allows you to really think through all possible options before refining everything into a final solution. I already use this approach to some extent, but I think I could improve by exploring more options during both the divergence stages.
I also found a more detailed version of the Double Diamond really helpful because it breaks down the steps more clearly. What stood out to me was the extra emphasis on the second convergence phase, which highlights the importance of repeating the iteration process. I realise that sometimes I get comfortable with just designing, getting feedback, and making a few changes, but I don’t always seek more advice on my second iteration. This is something I want to improve on, especially for this module, as I think it will really help me refine my work.
The d.school's Design Thinking process is built around five essential stages, each playing a crucial role in creating human-centred solutions.
Empathise – This stage is about deeply understanding the user, not just through research, but by immersing yourself in their experience and considering all factors influencing the problem. Reflecting on this, I realise how easy it is to overlook the subtleties of a user’s situation, but truly empathising allows me to see the bigger picture and approach solutions from a more informed and compassionate perspective.
Define – In this stage, you organise the information gathered in a human-centred way and create a clear problem statement. I’ve come to appreciate how challenging it can be to distill complex insights into one concise problem definition, but doing so helps focus the team and ensures that every solution addresses the true needs of the user.
Ideate – During ideation, you brainstorm and generate ideas to address the problem from multiple perspectives. Reflecting on this, I’ve realised how important it is to push myself outside my comfort zone and generate as many ideas as possible, even the ones that seem unusual or impractical, because they can lead to unexpected breakthroughs.
Prototype – Prototypes are created to bring ideas to life in a tangible form, allowing you to test and refine solutions. At first, I underestimated how critical this stage is, but now I see that prototyping is where abstract ideas become real, and through experimentation, I’ve learned that the value lies not in perfection but in iteration and exploration.
Test – The testing phase involves rigorously assessing prototypes with real users to see how well they solve the problem. Through reflection, I’ve learned that testing is where the real learning happens. It’s not just about finding what works, but about discovering what doesn’t, which in turn leads to stronger, more refined solutions through continuous feedback.
Human-Centred Design (HCD) is all about putting people at the heart of the design process. The article from the UX Design Institute really helped me understand that it’s not just about creating a product or service that works, but one that genuinely meets the needs, wants, and challenges of the people who will use it.