At the core of my design process is an iterative cycle that balances structured methodology with creative freedom, encouraging both consistency in problem-solving and the scope for exploration and innovation. Each phase is meant to be iterative and cyclical as opposed to a strictly linear process.

• Empathize: Undertake research to understand user behaviors, thoughts, feelings, and motivations by directly observing and interacting with them.
• Define: Synthesize user research to identify problem areas and potential opportunities for innovation by uncovering common issues and unmet needs.
• Ideate: Conduct an unrestricted brainstorming session, encouraging a large volume of varied ideas that can potentially address the user needs identified in the previous step.
• Prototype: Develop tangible representations of selected ideas, seeking feedback to identify their strengths and weaknesses, and assess their impact and feasibility.
• Test: Present your prototype to users for feedback, questioning if the solution meets user needs and improves their experience.
• Implement: Translate your vision into reality, ensuring that your solution is realized and positively impacts your end users, in a process that is as much about the creation as the thought.

Following the core principles of usability engineering, I champion the mantra of "just enough" research in my team's design process.

During the Empathize stage, we're not striving for encyclopedic knowledge about users. Instead, focused, meaningful interactions give us the rich insights we need, mirroring the effectiveness of quick, pointed studies with a small but representative user set.

Moving into the Define phase, we resist drowning in data. Instead, we synthesize and distill the essence of our findings to pinpoint the real user problems and innovation opportunities. This cuts through the noise, keeping our ideation sharp and relevant.

Finally, in the Test phase, we get another opportunity to find out if we've delivered something viable. A handful of representative users often suffices for the swift identification of key problems. This methodology, allowing quick iterations of test-refine-retest, reduces risk and speeds up validation.

This philosophy ensures agility in our design process. It makes room for risk-taking and encourages swift, iterative actions. By striking this balance, we quickly journey from ideation to implementation. We stay lean and focused, maximizing our learnings, refining our designs iteratively, and more importantly, speeding up the delivery of effective, user-centric solutions.