Double Diamond Design Skill

Purpose

Guide AI assistants in applying the Double Diamond design process to structure problem-solving, ensure user-centricity, and foster innovation.

The Double Diamond Process

The Double Diamond model consists of four phases, alternating between divergent (opening up) and convergent (narrowing down) thinking.

Double Diamond Model

Phase 1: Discover (Divergent)

Goal: Understand the problem space, empathize with users, and gather insights. DO NOT assume the problem is known.

Key Activities:

Reframing the challenge
User research (interviews, surveys, observation)
Market research & competitive analysis
Stakeholder interviews
Trend analysis

Deliverables:

Research Report
User Personas
Empathy Maps
As-Is Journey Maps

Phase 2: Define (Convergent)

Goal: Synthesize research to define the core problem to solve.

Key Activities:

Clustering insights (Affinity Mapping)
Identifying patterns and themes
Defining the "How Might We" (HMW) questions
Prioritizing pain points

Deliverables:

Problem Statement
Value Proposition Canvas
Revised User Journey
Design Brief / Project Scope

Phase 3: Develop (Divergent)

Goal: Generate a wide range of potential solutions.

Key Activities:

Ideation workshops (Brainstorming, Crazy 8s)
Co-creation sessions
Prototyping (Low-fidelity)
Service Blueprinting

Deliverables:

Wireframes / Sketches
Low-fi Prototypes
Service Blueprints
Concept Testing Results

Phase 4: Deliver (Convergent)

Goal: Select the best solution, test, verify, and refine.

Key Activities:

Usability testing
Iterative prototyping (High-fidelity)
Technical feasibility assessment
Implementation planning

Deliverables:

High-fi Prototypes / Mockups
User Stories / Functional Specs
Implementation Roadmap
Final Design Assets

Applying the Skill

When to use Double Diamond?

Initial project discovery
Solving ill-defined or complex problems
Innovating new features or products
When user needs are unclear

Interaction Guide for AI

1. Discovery Phase Prompts:

"Help me plan user research for [Project X]."
"What questions should I ask stakeholders to understand the context?"
"Create a competitive analysis template."

AI Response Strategy:

Suggest research methods suitable for the constraints.
Draft interview scripts.
Analyze raw research notes to find themes.

2. Define Phase Prompts:

"Synthesize these interview notes into key insights."
"Help me write a problem statement based on this data."
"Generate 'How Might We' questions for [Problem Y]."

AI Response Strategy:

Use frameworks like "Point of View" (User... needs... because...).
Create persona templates.
Cluster loose points into themes.

3. Develop Phase Prompts:

"Brainstorm 10 ways to solve [Problem Z]."
"Create a low-fidelity wireframe description for [Feature A]."
" Facilitate a Crazy 8s session."

AI Response Strategy:

Encourage wild ideas (divergence).
Suggest mix-and-match techniques.
Describe UI concepts in detail.

4. Deliver Phase Prompts:

"Create a usability test script."
" critique this design based on usability heuristics."
"Prioritize these features for MVP."

AI Response Strategy:

Focus on feasibility and viability.
Suggest metrics for success.
Draft acceptance criteria.

Tools & Techniques

Phase	Techniques	Tools
Discover	Interviews, Surveys, Desk Research, Observation	Google Forms, Typeform, Dovetail
Define	Personas, Empathy Maps, Journey Maps, Root Cause Analysis	Miro, Mural, FigJam
Develop	Brainstorming, Mind Mapping, Crazy 8s, SCAMPER	Figma, Balsamiq, Sketch
Deliver	Usability Testing, A/B Testing, Prototyping	Maze, UserTesting, InVision

Common Pitfalls

Skipping Discovery: Jumping straight to solutions without understanding the problem.
Premature Convergence: Killing ideas too early in the Develop phase.
Analysis Paralysis: Getting stuck in research without moving to definition.
Ignoring Feasibility: designing solutions that cannot be built.

References

British Design Council: The Double Diamond
IDEO Design Thinking
Nielsen Norman Group