How do you explain design choices to your team?

When I need to explain a design choice to my team, I always think carefully about what this choice will represent to each member of the team. I need to empathize with the other: what could be she/he expecting, what does the choice imply to this person, how complex could be to apply it,... This is crucial if we don't want to find stoppers. The design choice will not be developed properly if any member of the team doesn’t embrace it as her/his own choice.

I have a strong opinion on this and it is quite possible that others may also have the same opinion. Explaining the design options to the team is essential but secondary, the first is to download with the team the project type, client's requirements, cost aspects. Will then look at the suggestions, opinions, research, and feedback from each team member and discuss the project plan and major obstacles according to the suggestions and feedback. Explaining or discussing the choices or key requirements will provide a comprehensive understanding to the team for the specific or required design and they can convey this in their design and make the most of it as per the client's wishes.

It's a great idea to start with some research on the users/ stakeholders of your design, and use the data to generate a detailed design brief - complete with the present context, the problem , the opportunities and the challenges, as well as clear goals that the design must achieve. This brief forms a sound foundation to the problem we are setting out to solve. And it is against this brief that the design choices are made and explained.

This is very interesting. There are so many aspects of design. As an interior architect/graphic designer. I'd like to address my choice of explain to team as first of all, we need to learn or understand about the service we provide for them and also we will need to learn about the business branding scheme of them. Then we will need to reach out the next step to propose whether to team and client as moodboard of study, schematic and feels of what it would look like for each categories. After that we'll need to present it to client or user, then after one or two revision we'll may reach the final decision and design phase and it will come to detail package. Furthermore, for interior field we'll also need to finish the final touch.

When I communicate choices for a particular design, I evaluate whether it is enhancing the experience of the users, easy for everyone to understand and implementing the same with less Dev effort as well. Choice's become relevant when we choose it according to requirement and the way that choice is going to improve that product as well.

Design is an iterative process, and decisions can evolve based on new information or insights. Encourage ongoing collaboration and iteration, allowing our team members to contribute expertise and ideas as the project progresses. specific approach highlight the pros and cons of each alternative. so that team can understand thoroughly evaluated different possibilities.

As a fashion designer, I believe in storytelling through my designs. Each collection has a unique narrative, inspired by everything from the world around us to personal experiences. I carefully select colors, fabrics, and silhouettes to bring this story to life. It's about evoking emotions, whether it's the vibrancy of a bustling city or the tranquility of nature. The intricate details and sustainable choices woven into each piece are like plot twists, adding depth to the narrative. Ultimately, I want my audience to feel connected to the story behind the designs, to wear not just clothes, but a piece of art with a meaningful tale.

I would call out to each individual who has questions in regards to the design I have decided to go with that there is a “scope of work” for every project …if we are discussing architecture of any kind. And that scope is documented in the “Construction Specifications” for every project that is a building of any sort. This lays out the will of the owner & design specificity including all parameters as to the qualitative diagnostics used in generating any design. Also included would be any budgets, engineering & builders structural determinate as well. In this way the “scope of the project” will explain all things to everyone from inception through conclusion of any project designed & constructed.

Definitely call up your experience. When presenting new design in a meeting, make sure you start with: - Set the stage with the "before" (look, performance, feedback which led to the decision to design something. Or maybe it was a commonly repeated request for an asset that did not exist?) - Provide examples of the research you did (inspiration, trends). Examples from competitors always excite CEOs and management ;) - Present the design and explain choices and information hierarchy. - Open the floor to questions. Managing stakeholders and hearing feedback is part of creative jobs and marketing jobs. Sometimes, it is more important to honour the opinion of your supervision because you want to have a good relationship with them.

A few points one should keep in mind while designing are: 1. Understand the prospective clients you are designing for. A garment defines the wearer, their personality, attitude and their body language. 2. The team should be aware of the trends in case the brand is following trend forecasts like WGSN. 3. Also remember that the niche brands does not focus on the fashion forecasts, rather they have their own signature styles. So the team should be informed on the principles and elements of design to bring out the best collection. 4. The team is briefed on the sustainability and durability of the products that are being designed, taking into consideration the fabrics, accessories and technology used to implement and complete the product.

Using Frame works will definitely bring consistency and standards to the project. We have to make sure that we are following the disciplines of that framework as well. This will also help the devs to do their work without manually doing all the ui elements in the screen.

Showing our process definitely helps to convince our stakeholders for implementing our choices. Stakeholders or managers may not think in users perspective as they may not having the empathy just like a UX Designer is having. We fight with our stakeholders to bring the best experience for the users. For this we do research and give the absolute validation behind the why of our choice.

Well, Showing Your Process will help you surely in different ways. Here's How ⬇️ 1) Your Process speaks about you, as in How well you think about Design and Human. 2) Your Process tell your client/employer/Stakeholder about how much potential and value you can bring in that company. 3) Your well-defined process tells the company clearly, that is it fruitful to invest in you and in your process (Time, money and energy). So, Showing-off of flexing about your well-defined and thought process helps you out through in your whole career journey in this Design Industry. 😇.

Absolutely! Walking the stakeholders through the design process is a great way to communicate the design choices. It makes your team an 'engaged party' and not just a consumer of your design.

Feedback can bring realtime changes to our design. Something very practical and usable which may not be noticed by a ux designer while building that product. Besides the feedback from team, if we can take the product to real users and test it (Guerilla Testing), that can give us major changes and implementing that changes will definitely make our product experience a pleasurable one

It's a good idea to establish clear milestones in the design process to seek feedback from all the stakeholders. Seeking feedback periodically helps in the co-creation of a solution with your users and stakeholders, receiving valuable insights, potentially avoiding rework and arriving at a great solution.

To receive effective feedback, be prepared with clear objectives. Avoid asking vague questions like "What do you think?" as non-designers may provide initial impressions rather than constructive feedback. Tailor your questions to facilitate discussions and encourage critical thinking based on your objectives. Asking "why?" is a valuable tool to grasp the rationale behind feedback. Sometimes, what they say may not fully align with their true intentions. This approach helps reveal deeper insights and fosters more productive feedback sessions.

Visuals bring clear understanding of what our choices are. This eraces ambiguity, Welcomes feedback and removes the frustration of our design

Visuals are the alphabet of design language. A designer need not draw proficiently like an artist, so far as s/he is able to communicate the idea clearly and without ambiguity.

As space designers, an effective communication tool that we use is to ask our execution partners / contractors / fabricators to describe the design back to us and share the steps they would follow in the construction. This is a great way to iron out any gaps in understanding and establish accountability.

Well, I will say only 2 things which will help mostly juniors. 1) Process- explaining your design process and taking the feedback is the most important aspect. So A Well Defined and thought Process is all you need to go ahead, if it is approved or even a yes from Lead/Senior Designers or from CEO (It motivates you thoroughly). 2) Concentrate more on user-centric design approach. 3) Don't get deviated in the process, because after framing your process, its very easy to just diverge and diverge all time. Remember- Time is the biggest constraint, So please converge as soon as possible when you think, you've got enough after doing research. Because Design matters at the end, (research and process is done in back-end & Design come front).

Designers are accountable to their clients. Design thinking highlights 3 clients. User (desirability), Team (feasibility), Employer (sustainability). Responsible design aims to answer the needs of all 3 clients. This means providing a design that is good for the user, clear and feasible for the team that will build it and profitable for the employer.