Building a screen is a complex task, but creating a seamless experience is even more challenging. Throughout my industry experience, I have gained deep insights into the intricacies of interface development, from ideation to design, implementation, and delivery. Witnessing common pitfalls, I have developed a process called the "5 D's” to provide clarity, establish clear responsibilities, and define the completion criteria, enabling team members to execute tasks with confidence.
The 5 D's may not be groundbreaking, as they align with established design processes in the software industry. Fundamentally, it emphasizes the importance of intentionality and thoroughness in our requests, development approach, and user deliverables.
Phase 1: Define The Problem
During this discovery phase, the entire pod collaborates to explore ideas and define problems. The deliverable is a Game Design Document (GDD) that outlines the feature request, emphasizing problem definition rather than being tied to a specific solution.
Phase 2: Design The Solution
Once the GDD is approved, the UX or Product Designer breathes life into the design, working collaboratively to refine and test various ideas. Wireframes are created, followed by UI Artists developing mock-ups that add fun and delight to the user experience.
Phase 3: Discuss The Implementation
With the design finalized, responsible parties come together to discuss and document implementation details. Engineers and Technical UI Designers sync to define the data contract and provide detailed estimates for completion time.
Phase 4: Develop The Feature
With clarity on the requested work, the implementation team assembles the interface, matching the mock-ups and styles. Each definition of done is completed and verified, ensuring alignment against expectations.
Phase 5: Deliver The Request
The team reunites to present the finished design, allowing for feedback and approval. Once approved, the task is considered complete, and the team moves on to the next one.
The 5D's serve as a guiding framework to foster a unified vision and shared understanding of completion. However, to mitigate potential misinterpretations, I devised a comprehensive RACI chart. This chart outlines the specific responsibilities, accountability, consultation, and information sharing for each step in the extensive delivery process. By providing meticulous details, we ensure alignment across various features, encompassing process, communication, and messaging.
Every "Phase" of the 5 D's aims to progress us towards the completion of a feature or request. Naturally, each feature may reside in different phases. To facilitate comprehension, we employ color-coded indicators for each phase in the development process.