Design Process

Design process
Vision

• Who are the entities who will interact with your product?
• What experiences do you want them to have with the product?
• What problem prevents them from having these experiences?  
• What are the ways to solve this same problem (brainstorming session)?
• no answer is wrong - key is to build a list of techniques
• How do each of these ways solve the problem?
• Make list:  Solution, Method/ Strategy
• Given these methods, can we develop a new solution?
• 80/10/10 rule:  80% of steps are from in-house capability, 10% are from third party/ industry capability, 10% are new to industry/ industries
• developing new skills:  1)  take known application and use for new process, 2)  take new application and use for known process.  
• Leverage external industries and look for crossovers
• Draft rough vision of the solution to the problem

Buyer's remorse

• After drafting the vision, wait.  Most likely, you will begin to doubt the vision, and question it
• This is good - it is a sign of emotional attachment to the problem that you are trying to solve
• Take the vision to a focus group of customers (internal or external) for feedback
• This will empower and embolden you to continue if the vision is solid and will give you the direction to modify it if the current one is weak.  

Execution to vision
Bullheadedness backed up with the experience of performing the above tasks properly.
You have the root of the story - believe it and execute to it.
Pick your battles - keep to the core of the product and the core experiences.  Innovate around that core and allow others to contribute.  Don't compromise on the core.