Over the past years of working with design and technology, I have evolved along with the learning and experience I have received. As I continue to learn, the five ‘E’s of design is my version of how I proceed to tackle a design problem. It is generic in nature but helps me focus down on a structured way of navigating through an extremely intricate process that ensures a great result. As one of my mentors pointed out for me, a design is not just creating beautiful elements, it’s about the process.
Five ‘E’s Of Design
Experience
Life is all about experiences. To start learning about what works and what doesn’t, I first need to start experiencing – just like the user. As much as it is about all the amazing things, it is also about failing and learning from those failures. This phase defines everything that follows.
Empathy
Stepping into the user’s shoes is important. When I experience what the user experiences, only then will I be able to empathize with the problems one might face. The derivation of innovation comes from indulging multiple perspectives – not one.
Extract
Assumption is the enemy of all knowledge. My assumptions about what “might be” are generally wrong. This is where I talk to others who have had similar experiences, gather their point of view, research and extract information that will guide me to holistically understand the problem.
Engineer
From all that I learn and gather, using my skills, I engineer and design a solution that can help make a difference from “what was” and “what could be”.
Evolve
With the engineered solution, I take out my prototype for a ride. Gather feedback from users, understand what can be improved and keep iterating until I reach a point where the product is at a satisfactory level.