The 7 stages in the design process

Today's marketplace is undergoing significant transformation as a result of the digital revolution. There is competition coming from all sides. Many well-known firms have embraced Design Thinking as a means of surviving and offering value to customers.

The design process is a set of steps that guide you through the process of defining, planning, and producing a product – in this case, an app. It enables you to be more productive, transparent and focused on making the greatest possible result

Design thinking is a method for coming up with fresh and inventive ideas and addressing issues that can be applied to any situation. It isn't restricted to a single sector or field of expertise.
The design process doesn’t always go smoothly. Many times, changes need to be made to the design, which causes frustration for the designer. The designer has to face these challenges with a positive attitude to continue with their work. If they don’t take time to reflect after each step of the process, they will eventually get overwhelmed and lose focus on their work.
The design process asks you to put yourself in your clients' shoes and experience the world through their eyes. It's a must-have tool for the Customer Experience Manager since it imagines the customer's life and how she interacts with your company.

In today’s article, we will present you with the seven stages in the design process and how it could improve your app, your platform or even your website.

 

Steps in the designing process

 

1. Get a comprehensive knowledge of your customer

Because the end-user is at the heart of the design thinking process, the first step is to get to know your customer. Empathize with the clients to completely comprehend their experiences with your products and services.

From observing to interacting with them, use all available methods to understand their experiences better. Your goal should be to have the same experience with your products and services that they do.

Customers are at the center of the market. Your products and services should provide value to their lives and satisfy their demands. Involving consumers in the product life cycle is the only way to learn what they need, how they need it, when they need it, and what they value.

 

2. Define the problem that the designing process has to solve

The design problem formulation is the following step, without which you would be unable to establish focus. Every brief has flaws, and they frequently lack conviction. To discover the direction in a process that has gone awry, a designer must be self-motivated and laser-focused.

A clearly defined problem will dictate the pace of the rest of the procedure.

 

3. Research and Ideate

The Research stage is where you should take a close look at your target audience - who will "consume" your goods, their lifestyle, education level, goals, habits, and so on. In other terms, who are you trying to reach with your product brochure, web page, or presentation, and what do you already know about these people.

It's time to start drafting ideas when you've decided what you want to focus on. When you're at this stage, the more ideas you have, the better, because you're trying to build concepts for a developing design. A designer must take a client's rough notion and put it on paper in various ways. This is the most common method of ideation.

 

4. Create a prototype

The Prototype stage is where the majority of bright ideas are discarded because they are unworkable. When a prototype is created, may it be a mockup website, a mockup app or a mockup web platform, it is tested for both design and utility, which is, of course, the essence of design thinking.

You can choose one or two of the most fantastic ideas to explore further after creating a few viable solutions during the previous step to offer a better beginning point for choosing. After picking two or three distinct design concepts, these ideas are transformed into prototypes, which are subsequently tested.

It's finally time to build a user interface. Whether it's a color scheme, font selection, or visual hierarchy, the UX Design should be based on the information gathered during the Design Research stage. Always keep in mind that you're designing for your customers, not for yourself.

The MCRO Tech team can construct a high-fidelity prototype that is ready for testing once the UI is finalized. Also, don't forget about animations; they highlight a product's fundamental principles and improve the user experience.

 

5. Select the proper concept

Choose which of the design concepts you've prototyped will be developed further. Answering an important question – is this solution suited for purpose? – is critical in making a decision. Although you may prefer a particular design style or function, is it fit for your target audience? Will it appeal to your clients, and, more importantly, how will they react to it?

 

6. Implement and test

At this stage, the team is prepared to put the solutions to the test with actual people. Even if you currently have a product and are striving to improve it, such as by adding new features, this stage is still required. The designer will iteratively enhance the development based on the data we collect. There are many tools and ways for testing, but the essential thing is to engage with your users and ask them questions that will help you understand how they are directed to accomplish activities in the interface, just like you did in the research stage.
Keep in mind, however, that testing is a never-ending process. An idea for a design must be tested even in its last phases to ensure that execution is simple.

 

7. Get feedback from our customers and improve the design

Get feedback from your customers to see what you need to improve in the future. Their opinion matters because you build the app for them, not for you. Keep in mind their further modifications. Remind that to gain trust and credibility you need to show your clients that you are dedicated to your work and you will make the necessary adjustments to satisfy all their needs.

 

Why is the design process important?

When building an app, having a design process enables us to be more efficient and transparent. We can make sure we're constantly going forward and not having to retrace our steps since we have a strategy in place that has been tested and polished, and the client will trust the judgements and proposals we make. We're taking a less risky approach because we're following a tried-and-true strategy that eliminates the need for guessing. This strategy also aids in keeping members of various teams on track and able to collaborate effectively. When we work in this manner, we are able to identify answers to problems that you may not even be aware of.
Nothing beats a well-designed mobile app at MCRO Tech. Things will go swiftly and effortlessly when you're working with a team that understands what they're doing and has a plan. A well-thought-out design approach ensures that every detail has been considered and that you end up with a pixel-perfect design that is tailored to your exact demands and desires.