Every company is different. Every team is different. Every situation is different.
There is no real one-size fits all solution to the design process. There are trade shows, hackathons, and POCs that need to be rushed to market. The key to success isn't a rigid process, it's adaptability.
Discover
What do we think is the problem we are solving? Is it really the core problem? The 5 whys.
Align on the timeframe that deliverables are needed.
Review the qualitative and quantitative data. Talk to product management, sales engineers, channel partners, and sales reps.
Define
Summarize the pain points and desired outcomes. Ensure the outcomes align with the business objectives.
Task-flow mapping and validation with stakeholders. Align with the team on feature scope.
Strategize on an approach: tactical vs conceptual.
Design
Develop prototypes for tactical enhancements and then push for innovation when warranted.
Determine what parts of the design can be modularized and reused in other parts of the product so that teams can gain velocity.
Deliver
Create engineering-ready figma screens with annotations on behavior and interactions.
Also, create clickable prototypes and video walkthroughs for clarity.
Provide support during development handoff and QA to ensure the right experience gets built.