Creative Problem-Solving: Get introduced to the Double Diamond Process

The Double Diamond Process is made by people at the Design Council in the UK. They use creativity and design to solve real-world problems in business, tech, and other important areas. They shared this recipe to help people solve problems in a creative way, and now it's used all over the world.

Here's why it's called the "Double Diamond" and why it's helpful:

Divergent and Convergent Thinking: The Double Diamond Process includes divergent thinking and convergent thinking. Divergent thinking is where you come up with a number of different ideas. Convergent thinking is where you choose the feasible, effective ones and make choices to move ahead.

Clear and Focused: Imagine you're looking at a big map, and then you zoom in on a small area. The diamond shape reminds you to start big and then get specific when solving a problem.

Flexible and Changeable: The Double Diamond isn't set in stone. You can go back and forth between the steps if you need to.

Balanced Approach: By combining divergent and convergent thinking, the Double Diamond Process provides a balanced approach to problem-solving. It encourages you to explore and generate various ideas before refining and implementing the best solutions.

Problem Space - The First Diamond:

The first diamond (Discover and Define) focuses on broadening your understanding of the problem.

Discover: This is where you start, like setting off on an adventure. You gather information and learn about the problem, just like an explorer discovering new places.

Define: Once you have all that info, it's time to narrow things down. You focus on the specific problem, just like picking a spot on a map. Now, you know exactly where you're headed.

Solution Space - The Second Diamond:

The second diamond (Develop and Deliver) narrows down the solutions.

Develop: With a clear problem in mind, you let your creativity flow. This is where ideas are generated.

Deliver: When your ideas are ready, you get practical. You make prototypes, test things out, and keep improving until you have a great solution.

In the end, we believe all design processes have 3 core parts that is research, ideation, and implementation. So, whether you use double diamond or empathize (5 steps) or any other number steps with different terminologies make sure you are focusing on 3 core parts. Don’t get into the confusion or become a blind follower of terminologies. Ask why, and understand the reasoning behind any method, or process.