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Top Questions To Ask Before Designing Anything
And what other things to take into account
The right question, at the right moment and context, can make a significant impact on how a feature / product is going to end up.
When I was starting out, I could not understand why designers weren’t taken seriously by companies when it comes to high-level decision making for products. I worked in several startups and the attitude was more or less the same — after the management team defined the path and solutions we need, they came to the design department for the “candy look”.
A couple of years later, I understood that if we change the conversation from “Ok, I will get right on it” to “Sure, but what business problem are you trying to solve? Will the change achieve the goal?” it changes how things are perceived. Asking the right question will only make you a better designer and will help you to have a proper business conversation. And with time and patience, you start getting that seat at the table.
Asking the right questions before beginning any type of work, is what will define if we will achieve something significant or not.
Whether you are launching a new product, feature or service — asking the right question is like the water that cleans the dusty front window of your car. More questions you ask, clearer the front view becomes.
I run a design studio, and we use a set of questions that help me assess what the client is trying to achieve. These questions help me at different stages of problem definition and design. They help me keep a clear focus and not deviate from the core goal. So I decided to share them with you and hopefully it will add an extra small drop of value to your…
