How can you ensure your design team stays within project constraints?

3 Plan and schedule the design activities

The third step is to plan and schedule the design activities that will deliver the product according to the requirements and specifications. Design activities include ideation, prototyping, testing, iteration, and implementation. You need to estimate the time, cost, and resources needed for each activity, and allocate them accordingly. You also need to define the milestones, deliverables, and feedback loops for each activity, and assign roles and responsibilities to your design team members. You need to use a project management tool or a method, such as agile or waterfall, to track and manage the design activities.

4 Communicate and collaborate with your design team and stakeholders

The fourth step is to communicate and collaborate with your design team and stakeholders throughout the design process. Communication and collaboration are essential to ensure that everyone is on the same page, that expectations are aligned, that feedback is timely and constructive, and that issues are resolved quickly. You need to use a communication tool or a platform, such as Slack or Teams, to share information, updates, and questions. You also need to use a collaboration tool or a system, such as Figma or Miro, to co-create, review, and test the product.

5 Monitor and control the project constraints

The fifth step is to monitor and control the project constraints and adjust them as needed. Project constraints are dynamic and interrelated, which means that they can change over time and affect each other. For example, a change in scope may increase the cost and the time of the project, or a change in quality may affect the feasibility and the value of the product. You need to measure and evaluate the project constraints regularly, and compare them with the baseline and the targets. You also need to identify and mitigate any deviations, risks, or issues that may threaten the project constraints.

6 Evaluate and improve the product and the process

The final step is to evaluate and improve the product and the process. Evaluation is the process of assessing the quality and the impact of the product, based on the user feedback, the stakeholder satisfaction, and the success criteria. Improvement is the process of applying the lessons learned and the best practices to enhance the product and the process. You need to conduct a post-mortem or a retrospective analysis of the project, and identify the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. You also need to document and share the findings, recommendations, and action plans for future projects.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?