“How did you end up going in that direction?” What started as a quick show and tell to an old college friend turned into a full-on discussion on the Who-What-Where-When-and-Why’s that every designer wades through when presented with a problem to solve. “So what’s your process?”

I really never know how to answer this question. Mostly because I feel like my design process is constantly in flux. Sure there are general steps that are consistent from project to project but I can’t say that there is a set formula. I feel that it really depends on what constraints I have to work with. What’s the deadline? Am I starting with a blank canvas or am I putting on the polish? Do I feel inspired? How do I get inspired?

For me it all starts with asking questions. Once I have my list of questions to answer…then comes the hardest part: getting started. Much like a person will do pre-run stretches, my pre-design ritual consists of what may look like to some non-designers as shirking work. I start by going on an inspirational stroll through the internet at large. I check out what’s the latest discovery on music blogs. I’ll visit countless design blogs just to see what jumps out to me. I’ll go to the Daily What for laughs. I’ll talk to my coworkers about their respective mornings or afternoons.

I keep my eyes and ears open for anything and everything always keeping the question of “How could I use this?” in the back of my mind. After what can last for hours of collecting bits and pieces of inspiration here, there and everywhere, there is this magic moment for me where all of a sudden everything becomes clear as to what I want to do. I don’t know when or where that Eureka moment happens for me but I just trust that it will and it always has. I guess this madness of a method works for this guy (The Sartorialist) too. 🙂

After I figure out what I want to do, then comes what I like to call the “design coma”. Sometimes I’ll start with sketches with pencil on paper other times I’ll just start with flow charts and every once in a while, I’ll fancy myself to be on a roll and dive right into wireframes in Fireworks. In the flurry of pure experimentation, something eventually starts to coalesce out from the ether. I start to recall visual and interaction trends that I noticed during my warm up ritual. “Oh yeah I saw this the other day when I was surfing Dribbble! I could totally use this for XYZ!” And I keep on going on and on like this until I’m empty and need another stroll down Inspiration Lane.

Before I know it…I have enough to share with teammates in the next project meeting. After judgement is passed (“Yeah, this is totally the right direction. Keep Going.” to “MMMmmm…not so much…maybe try something else?”)…whatever the final deliberation, I go back into the “design coma” for Round 2…3…8? Whatever it takes until it’s done. It all sounds quite laborious but it’s my absolute favorite part of my process.

When it’s all done I feel like a sorcerer of some kind that took something that started out as a string of words squiggled into a notebook and turned it into something that people can use and can connect with. I live for that beautiful A-Ha moment that snaps me back out of my design coma so I can immediately share it with my teammates and hopefully to a happy client.

Anyways…I have no idea if what I do or how I do is any clearer to you than when this post began. All I know is that it’s been working for me and I’ll just keep doing it until it doesn’t.