My approach to UX design is based on the five stages of design thinking.

 

1. Empathize

Understand the users' feelings or thoughts based on an experience. I don't try to assume what users want solved but focus on problems they actually want solved. This includes recruiting participants for interviews, building empathy maps, identifying user pain points, creating personas, user stories, and user journey maps.

 

2. Define

Set a clear description of the users' needs by drafting a problem and goal statement that should be addressed. This could also include brainstorming a hypothesis statement and setting value propositions. Knowing the problem helps to keep users' needs as a priority.

 

3. Ideate

Explore a comprehensive set of ideas whether by brainstorming, documenting, questioning the obvious, thinking outside the box, crazy eight exercises, performing competitive audits, and evaluating those ideas. 

 

4. Prototype

Work on experimenting with solutions. This includes composing a user flow, big picture, and close-up storyboards, wireframing, low-fidelity, and high-fidelity prototypes.

 

5. Test

Test the prototypes by planning research studies, conducting interviews, analyzing and synthesizing results, and modifying designs based on research insights. As needed, return to previous stages for iteration and refinement.