What does the beginning of your process look like?
The key is to first understand the problem we're solving. I then outline user goals based on conversations with them. Once a feature is aligned with the problem, I sketch ideas on paper or in Procreate to quickly explore multiple solutions.
When do you involve product & eng?
I work closely with product from the start, collaborating on ideas, flows, and sketches to save time and quickly reach an MVP for testing. I also involve engineering early, once I'm confident in the wireframes. This helps catch any technical issues and fosters buy-in, as engineers want to be just as invested in the project as product and design.
How do you know when a design is "finished"?
While it's true that designs are never truly "finished" since they're constantly iterated on, screens need to be shipped eventually. I know they're ready when the feature has been validated by users or the internal team and I feel confident about it. Shipping is just the start of further testing, as the screens will continue to evolve. There's never a perfect time to ship—sometimes I can't test with users, or deadlines get pushed up for investors. With so many variables, it's important to stay flexible and efficient.
How do you incorporate user testing?
User testing is an ongoing process throughout design. Depending on the target demographic, it can happen with a prototype before shipping or with the live product after launch, depending on the engineering team's capacity and availability of testers. What matters most is testing consistently. It's the only way to ensure you're truly solving the user's problems.
What is your process with stakeholders?
It's so important to get diverse feedback from people outside of product and engineering. I love hearing ideas from sales, customer development, and leadership - in fact it's essential to building features that are actually useful. This is why I'm a big fan of biweekly design reviews where everyone is invited. These help to create a rounded and holistic viewpoint.
How do you like to collaborate?
I have a strong belief that meetings should be efficient and practical. I'm a big fan of working meetings, where we collaborate to solve a problem, review designs, or work on user flows together. As a creative, I value my flow state and dedicated time for thinking.