Designing in fast-paced environments

Teams in fast-paced environments prioritise quick MVP milestones often deliver subpar experiences and quickly move on to the next opportunity.

Designers often find it challenging to make the most of their craft within such constraints, often resulting in a compromise.

As designers in the software development domain, it is imperative that we grasp the concept of MVP and break the design into phases. We should not also sacrifice the user experience in pursuing an MVP. A balance must be struck between the two.

💡 Working backwards can help designers balance their craft while designing complete solutions for each milestone. Instead of focusing on specific details, this approach starts with the big picture and encourages stakeholders to align on broad general themes.

In contrast, following a standard double-diamond process can lead to a lot of ambiguity, and time-intensive work, which can be challenging to explain to stakeholders.

By starting with the end in mind, designers can create tangible artefacts, such as interactive prototypes, that can clearly convey their design decisions and gain buy-in from stakeholders.

They can also be used to test design concepts with users early, providing feedback to refine the design. This helps ensure the final product is…