How do you share your design process with clients?

I'm allergic to the word planning because it distracts from what's actually adding value and leads teams to waste time thinking instead of creating and testing. The value here is in data and accountability. On data: Planning is good when it reveals and analyzes data that increases the integrity of designs. Planning is bad when it delays access to data under the "guise of thinking things through" (which quickly becomes wasteful if you don't have data). On accountability: Planning is good when it leads to smart goals and timelines that the team holds itself to... and then revisits and modifies over time. Planning is bad when it sets rigid goals that aren't informed by real user feedback, or becomes a document no one holds themselves to.

I never had a fixed way to solve a design problem. In my experience, each problem is different and requires a different approach, maybe a mix of the various design methodologies. There may not be a one-size-fits-all model, however, I try answering these four questions before starting any design solution. Who?: Who are my users? (Primary, Secondary) Why?: Why are they facing the pain points? (Important for empathy) What?: What can we do to eliminate the problems leading to the pain points? (Drilling down the problem to identify the root cause and find a solution) How?: How do we measure success? Answering these questions covers almost everything you need to know about the problem and finding a solution.

I found the power of communication the one and only key way to show your design process to the clients. Honestly I prefer frequent and open design feedback, so according to the project I work in batch sizes where something i design I get reviewed as early as possible to get feedback. Reason? As early as the client can see what is happening, it would be better to direct the efforts in the right directions especially if there was some communication gap in the project starting.

You simply don't share your process. The client doesn't care about your process or how you do it. They want the quickest and the most affordable way to design their project.

Here's a unique way to think about it: Your design process is like a journey. The scope of your project is your destination. The timeline is your roadmap. And the milestones are your checkpoints along the way. Just like any journey, there will be unexpected challenges along the way. But if you have a plan in place, you'll be better equipped to handle them and stay on track.

A framework shows your clients that you're a professional. It shows that you have a thought-out process for approaching design challenges. It helps your clients understand your process. It can be difficult for clients to understand the nuances of design, so having a framework can help them see how you're going to get from A to B. A framework helps to keep your project on track. A framework can help you to stay focused and avoid getting sidetracked. It can also help you to identify and address potential risks early on. If you're looking for a unique way to share your design process with clients, consider using a framework. It's a simple but effective way to show your professionalism, build trust, and communicate your rationale.

That's a good starting point for those knew. Frameworks can look stale, unimaginative and more tick boxing. What is much more engaging is story telling. Tell the story. Take people on the journey of how you discovered the problem, what you did and what action solved the problem.

Hm... I'd say this actually bad advice, but AI doesn't know better ??. Actually, this works fine if you're an agency selling a process but if you want to own a design all the way through to production, it's not so clean-cut. Designers get too caught up in processes and frameworks and get tripped up when organizations don't want or can't follow the steps. Design in the real world is rarely a nice, linear process. In practice, the steps described in the double diamond or design thinking model are not clearly separated and don't fit well into an agile organization. Instead, think of it as having a toolbox. You pull out of it whatever you need to fix the problem. Have a clear vision of what you want to achieve, and stay flexible.

Utilizing a framework is vital for transparently sharing the design process with clients. For example, employing the "Design Thinking" approach involves empathizing, defining, ideating, prototyping, and testing. This structured method not only educates clients on the process but also fosters collaboration, ensuring client input and expectations align with the design objectives.

Presenting design solutions to clients within a framework helps ensure clarity and effectiveness. A useful method is the "Situation, Complication, Resolution" framework: Situation: Start by outlining the client's current situation, which establishes the context for your design proposal. Complication: Address the problem or challenge the client is facing that your design aims to solve. Resolution: Present your design solution, emphasizing how it resolves the complication and improves upon the current situation.

Clients usually want to know what's in this for them and how you've added value to their business. They care more about final deliverables than the process. Out of all 4 ways that are suggested here, planning ahead with a clear timeline and telling a story to show what you've done for their business are the best ways of communicating with a client.

As Michael just mentioned earlier, sharing your process could be amazing but it could also be harmful when clients are trying to control the process. Personally, to keep clients involved (or any stakeholders for that matter) I love organising workshops. That way, I control what is being discussed on the design, while allowing other to provide me their thoughts and feedback on aspects that I want them too.

It's more contextual than this. Showing your process can hurt as much as it can help. When it helps: Some clients deeply value the design process and want to improve their design know-how. With them it built trust to show process. When it hurts: Some clients don't value design processes or wish to exert control even when it hurts the product. So showing them the process can obstruct progress. The key is to show your work at the level and in the way that is most conducive to success for the product and the client relationship. This involves scoping review moments and thoughtful story telling.

Sharing your design process with clients is crucial for transparency and collaboration. For instance, create a client-accessible online dashboard where they can track project milestones, view wireframes, and leave feedback. This approach, akin to software development's GitHub repositories, fosters trust and alignment by involving clients directly in the design journey.

To effectively show design work to clients, use the "Show, Tell, Respond" strategy: Show: Display the design visually using mockups, prototypes, or live demos. Let the design speak first. Tell: Explain the design decisions, how they align with the client's goals, and address the problems identified. Respond: After presenting, actively solicit and listen to the client's feedback. Be prepared to iterate based on their input. This method ensures clients can visualize the solution, understand the rationale behind it, and feel engaged in the design process, fostering a collaborative environment. Use high-quality visuals and walk through the user journey to make the design come alive for the client.

To tell a compelling story while presenting, structure your narrative into three acts: Setup (Act 1): Introduce the background, establish the stakes, and present the status quo. Explain the client's vision and the project's goals. Confrontation (Act 2): Detail the challenges faced along the way, including any design problems, user needs, and technical constraints. Show how your design addresses these specific challenges. Resolution (Act 3): Conclude with the success of the design in meeting the project's objectives. Highlight outcomes, user satisfaction, and the design's benefits. Use a mix of data, user testimonials, and visuals to make the story relatable and convincing, ensuring the client feels connected to the journey and outcome.

Absolutely, telling a compelling story that connects your design process to your clients' goals, needs, and challenges can be an effective way to engage and communicate with clients. However it is important you control the narrative by Understanding clients objectives, pain points, challenging and goals Emphasize on how you will work closely with the client to ensure they are in loop and also incorporate their feedback at every step of the project.

Storytelling simplifies complexities, ensuring that even those without a design background can grasp and appreciate the significance of your creative process.

Telling a story about solving similar problem(s) in different spaces carries a lot of weight. It showcases having a variety of tools available in your toolbox. Most importantly, showing the results that came from the process speaks volume to putting money where your mouth is.

One thing I’ve found helpful is being cautious not to over play on their emotions. Empathy is great and it helps to achieve that engagement and relatability so your clients can understand the value of process as well as how it works to solve their problems.

Sharing the design process with clients is crucial for collaboration. For example, using screen sharing tools to walk clients through wireframes and prototypes in real-time fosters transparency and ensures alignment. Regular meetings and feedback sessions allow clients to actively participate, resulting in a more refined and successful UX design.

Feedback from people is the center (or should be) of design... so do it constantly... start in-house with your core-team and stakeholders and then after you refine your work, present it to users... repeat this process incessantly.

Throughout the process, I actively seek client input, encouraging them to share their thoughts and suggestions. This collaborative approach is guided by The Principle of Least Astonishment, which advises that users and clients should be surprised as little as possible. By involving them in the process, I can address concerns early, ensuring that the final product aligns with their expectations and minimizes any surprises.

In addition to the above, you should *involve* clients/stakeholders in your process, so they experience it, rather than being told about it. That way, they get to see how you can bring clarity and direction to ambiguity. Also, meet them where they are - asking what risks, assumptions they have, what they most need to learn to be confident in the direction they're going towards.

Before you decide how to engage with clients, you first need to conduct research to understand their needs, pains, experience, availability, digital literacy, and goals etc. By creating a stakeholder map (from initial meetings and workshops), you can then select the appropriate methods and frequency by which you will work with, or share with them. Some may want high frequency collaboration while others may want light touch show and tell. Some may be detail orientated and want to see process, while others may just want headlines. There may even be indirect people & processes to uncover i.e. your stakeholder’s stakeholders. Mapping out stakeholders and their relationships early on will give further tactics a greater chance of success.

Ever since I learned that sharing my design process with clients is important, I've never stopped doing that. Sharing your design process with clients is essential to ensure transparency, alignment, and a shared understanding of the project. Whenever I'm working on a project, I always maintain open communication throughout the project. I provide regular updates, including progress reports and any issues or changes that arise. And while I provide these updates, I always ask, "What do you think?" Remember, communication is key throughout the design process. Be responsive to client inquiries, address concerns promptly, and maintain a professional and collaborative relationship to ensure a successful project outcome.

As a designer, it’s crucial to remember that your client isn’t a UX designer like you. They typically focus on the value your design brings and how it aligns with their long and short-term goals. One common goal is to increase revenue/users. Explain how your design will compel users to engage with their product, how it simplifies the purchase process, and how it improves upon their previous system. Another area to focus on would be the testing phase. How did the users receive the project, what did you notice, and what changes were made to fit their needs.

Flexibility is key in design. While it’s important to have a structured process, being open to changes based on client feedback or new insights can significantly improve the result. Jakob’s Law reminds us that users prefer designs that are familiar by staying adaptable, I can incorporate elements that are intuitive and user-friendly, ensuring a design that feels natural to the end user.