Collaborative Design Discovery: Four Essential Techniques

Product teams are under tight development timelines like never before to bring products to market. No one wants to build a product that falls short of its potential, or that could have been better defined in the discovery phase.

In this seminar, Dan explores ways that designers can overcome these constraints by applying creative and collaborative frameworks to their work. If you’ve ever wondered about the ingredients in great design discovery, this featured talk is for you.

Create a shared pool of knowledge

• Identify knowledge deficiencies and determine how to fill in the gaps
• Create a common language between team members

Consider discovery as a mindset and not an artifact

• Break down mindset into three steps: perceive, understand, and choose
• Acknowledge different perspectives to find the best ways to overcome obstacles

Embrace critique as an important part of the design process

• Reframe negative interpretations to learn from team members’ feedback
• Adopt a growth mindset so you aren’t afraid to face new challenges

Examine three mindsets for designers

• Be curious, skeptical, and humble during the discovery process
• Ask questions, follow hunches, and don’t be afraid to say “I don’t know”