I N I T I A T I O N
Define the Design Challenge

Start with attempting to write down the design challenge

• Human-centred: The design challenge should be about the people the team is trying to help rather than focussing on technology, monetary returns or product features.

• Broad enough for freedom: The design challenge should not be so narrow that you only focus on a specific method to solve it.

• Narrow enough to make it manageable: Don’t make the design challenge so broad that it becomes too daunting e.g. “Create world peace for all mankind”.

Consider why you’re picking this challenge

• What makes this challenge different from others? Why is it important for the team?

Take your challenge and frame it as a question

• Frame your design challenge as a “How Might We” question. For example: How might we help younger women feel informed about the retirement savings?

Write down the target audience

• Who are we creating value for? Are there existing personas?

State the outcome you’re looking to achieve

• What is a successful outcome and what’s the impact you’re looking to achieve?

Spend 5 minutes thinking about some possible solutions

• Don’t spend too long on this. It’s an excellent way to test if your design challenge is on the right track. If you’re struggling to think of any solutions, it might not be the right challenge.

Consider the context and constraints of your design challenge

• Does the challenge you’ve created drive towards impact and consider constraints?

Iterate your design challenge

• After discussion with your team, you may want to think about your original question and make amendments if required.