Notes on process

Ways to make whatever we are working on equitable, accessible, and, above all, useful for our users. This boils down to the following three steps

1) Empathize

Defining process can be challenging but is essential to ensure we aren’t creating for the sake of creating. Before a project starts, we can at least do secondary research on what solutions already exist in the world. We can follow established paradigms or identify opportunities that others may have missed. Then, we determine the simplest and easiest way to incorporate these answers into our first, second, or third versions of our features.

However, research can also stifle creativity if we focus too much on competitors, potentially hindering us from creating something truly innovative.

2) Define

Create problem statements to clarify and focus on the issue at hand (Example: Difficulty staying focused while driving a vehicle). Develop value propositions to emphasize why users should use our product (Example: A car’s ability to drive itself without any driver input).

3) Ideate

I always want to jump to this step since it’s the fun part, but I’ve learned over the years not to rush. The more you practice generating ideas, the easier it becomes. Initially, focus on quantity over quality, then slowly refine it. Is it feasible (technically possible), viable (financially beneficial), and desirable (solves the user's problem). If you can check all three of those boxes then you’ve got something worth diving into.