Design operations guide

At this point in the process, you have built a prototype that can function. This means that all of the prototype’s component parts have been tested with participants, changes have been made, then tested as they work together to create the functioning prototype. This does not mean that the prototype is completely finished.

You have created a solution that solves for the participants’ needs, but pilot is a time when the prototype will be tested within the context of the systems in which it has to function. For example, if you have designed a form, in this design phase you have:

1. Reviewed your opportunities from discovery research
2. Selected an opportunity to explore
3. Thought divergently in order to generate many ideas to answer that opportunity
4. Thought convergently to map your team and partner skills and create a resources budget
5. Given these constraints, figured out which of your design concepts to forward and create an expression of
6. Thought divergently to think of multiple possible expressions
7. Thought convergently to focus in on the one or two that make the most sense to work on, given your skills and budget
8. Thought analytically to take apart those one or two expressions into their component parts
9. Thought divergently to generate multiple different expressions of those parts to test
10. Thought analytically to create tests for participants
11. Re-enacted HCD interviewing techniques to administer tests that enable participants to give you honest feedback
12. Thought divergently to create changes the participants need in your design
13. Re-tested your design with those changes
14. Thought analytically in evaluating your test results to determine if you can continue or need to go backwards in your design
15. If you can go forwards, you’ve thought convergently about how to refine those designs into new, more advanced iterations
16. Done all the testing, evaluation, changing, and iteration cycles that you needed to in order to achieve a functional design expression, aka, working prototype

Communicate to stakeholders

It’s wise to let your stakeholders know where you are in the process. This is because you’ve made a lot of progress since you last spoke substantially to them, and because you’re about to need their help to expand your work into a pilot. Use the steps outlined above to create a deck outlining your work. Discuss ALL the process work you’ve done, including the messy parts. Showing process is a great way to include leadership in the work, and to make visible the rigor with which you have approached this development. Don’t just show your prototype; show your work.