Double Diamond in Project Management

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==Abstract==
 
==Abstract==
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Every company could have its own method to face the process behind the design of a new product or for solving a problem but it has been observed that all firms go through the same steps when they have to think, design or solve and this is the reason why Design Council developed and launched the '''Double Diamond''' in 2005.
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Every company could have its own method to face the process behind the design of a project for a new product or for solving a problem but it has been observed that all firms go through the same steps when they have to think, design or solve and this is the reason why Design Council developed and launched the '''Double Diamond''' in 2005.
  
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The Double Diamond is a model which aims to let design teams visualise the main steps they have to follow in order to achieve the best result in the best possible way. Richard Eisermann, Design Council’s Director of Design and Innovation at the time, together with his team decided to extrapolate a model which described the stages behind design processes. From an analysis of previous Design Council’s works, it came up that all firms followed a similar, if not the same, procedure and the Double Diamond model gathers all moves in four principal phases: '''discover''', '''define''', '''develop''' and '''deliver'''.
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The Double Diamond is a model which aims to let design teams visualise the main steps they have to follow in order to achieve the best result in the best possible way. As the name suggests, the model is composed by two diamond-shape figures and each of these is divided into two other parts which bring to the four main phases of the Double Diamond: '''Discover''', '''Define''', '''Develop''' and '''Deliver'''.
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The Discover and Define phases describe the first part of a project where a team has to think of different ideas and gather a lot of information through, for example, users and market researches and then define the problem.
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The Develop and Deliver phases set in the second diamond when, after the approval of the corporate, the team starts developing possible solutions, prototype and obtain feedback and finally deliver the optimal final solution.
  
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The scope was to ''“create something that would be applicable in any field”'', and despite its recent introduction into the process design market, that is why it is widely utilised because thanks to its adaptability it can be used whether you have to develop a new product or you have to face a problem.
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The purpose of this article is showing how the Double Diamond can be related to project management and why its application can reveal to be very convenient for many companies, especially for those that want to enlarge their customers’ satisfaction. In fact, one of the core principles the model talks about is that companies have to be user-oriented and consider users’ needs since the beginning of the design process.  
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The Double Diamond model has to be seen like a guideline for the project manager who has to plan, coordinate and assess the project’s activities understanding and evaluating possible dangers and problems for the purpose of successfully conclude the project respecting time, performance and cost.
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This article aims to be a useful tool even for people who don’t know about this model because it gives them a full overview and some practical examples and also for people who already know about it but it could be a brief reading for getting some inspiration on how to implemented it in their projects.
 
  
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==The basis idea==
 
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In 2003 '''Design Council''' was focused on the importance of the adoption of a strategic approach to design and how much significant was the design management. Richard Eisermann had just started his new position at the company when he asked his team to describe what design process is. They had regular meetings during which they were sharing their respective researches on the design methods used across the organisation’s previous works in order to elaborate and design an adaptable structure that could fit all methods.
 
  
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Richard came across the basis concept of the Double Diamond years before, in particular he remembered that ''"Dave Duncanson, an engineer at IDEO, talked to me about the product development process as being like the classic diamond-shaped kite, with a tail composed of progressively smaller diamonds. […]"''[2]. So, the idea of divergent and convergent diagrams had already been founded although it did not have a name yet.
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==The Big Idea==
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In 2003 '''Design Council''' was focused on the importance of the adoption of a strategic approach to design and how much significant was the design management. Richard Eisermann, director of Design and Innovation at the time, asked his team to describe what design process is. As a consequence, they decided to define a model which described the stages behind all design processes. They had regular meetings during which they shared their respective researches on the design methods used across the organisation’s previous works in order to elaborate and design an adaptable structure that could fit all processes.
  
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==The model==
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Afterwards, from those analysis, it came up that all firms followed a similar, if not the same, procedure that the Double Diamond model summarises through four principal phases and a divergent and convergent trend.
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As the name can suggest, the Double Diamond’s graphic represents two connected diamond shapes which aim to guide designers, engineers and project managers through the process starting from an initial challenge or problem to the best final solution.
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There are two main partitions, one between the two diamonds and the other is a sub-division of each diamonds. From the external division you can notice how the model emphasise the initial challenge or problem on the far left, then the final solution is on the far right and the middle breaking point is where the design brief occurs. Anna White, one of the people behind the Double Diamond, said: ''“For me the first part of the diamond is about questioning the brief and defining the problem statement. I explain it as ‘designing the right thing’. The second part of the diamond is about exploring possibility, iteration, testing and developing, so ‘designing the thing right’.”''[3]
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The scope was to ''“create something that would be applicable in any field”''<ref name="R1" />, and despite its recent introduction into the process design market, that is why it is widely utilised because thanks to its adaptability it can be used whether you have to develop a new product or you have to face a problem.
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However, Richard came across the basis concept of the Double Diamond years before, in particular he remembered that ''"Dave Duncanson, an engineer at IDEO, talked to me about the product development process as being like the classic diamond-shaped kite, with a tail composed of progressively smaller diamonds. […]"''<ref name="R1" />. So, the idea of divergent and convergent diagrams had already been founded although it did not have a name yet.
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====The model====
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The Double Diamond consists in a framework which helps teams to go through a project and also help project manager and all the members of the group to stay focused on the goals. This model wants to be as simple as possible, so when you look at it, it should be clear where you begin, where you finished and what is in the middle.
 
   
 
   
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Moreover, each diamond’s sub-division brings to the four main stages of the model: discover, define, develop and deliver.
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When a team starts working on a project, they may know what goals they have to reach but the starting point is not always a clear status, so that is why during the project, and through the Double Diamond, you go from a point where you don’t know to a point where you do know. It has also to be considered that the final goals could be modified or re-assessed during the path due to possible market changes or further analysis which let you have a better understanding of what you have to do.
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The idea behind the diamond-kite shape is that you start from a specific point, then you have to space and consider numerous different alternatives and at the end only one will be chosen. This explains the divergent and convergent trend of the diagram that reflects what happens in real design processes.
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So, the first part of the process, also known as the first diamond, consists in making the right question and establishing the right problem to solve. Afterwards the scope is to find the right answer and develop the right way to solve that problem. Anna White, one of the people behind the Double Diamond, said: ''“For me the first part of the diamond is about questioning the brief and defining the problem statement. I explain it as ‘designing the right thing’. The second part of the diamond is about exploring possibility, iteration, testing and developing, so ‘designing the thing right’.”''<ref name="R1" /> Each of this part go through a convergent and divergent trend that represent the idea to be inspired as much as possible gathering lots of information and do many tests but then you have to narrow down and concentrate in the best result you can get.
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We will now analyse the four main phases of the model.
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[[File:The double diamond.png|600px|thumb|right|Double Diamond Model. Own creation inspired by]]
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[[File:The double diamond.png|600px|thumb|right|'''Figure 1''':The Double Diamond Model. Own creation inspired by the British Design Council graphic <ref name="R1" />]]
  
 
====Discover====
 
====Discover====
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This is the first step starting with the single problem and ending with a portfolio of different possibilities that have to be properly evaluated later in the process. In the graphical way, this is the divergent part in which almost every idea is welcome and deserves to be taken into account. In fact, one of the main aspects of this stage is to keep minds open.
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Also known as Research Phase, this is the first step starting with the single problem and ending with a portfolio of different possibilities that have to be properly evaluated later in the process. In the graphical way, this is the divergent part in which almost every idea is welcome and deserves to be taken into account. In fact, one of the main aspects of this stage is to keep minds open.
  
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Initial influences and inspirations can come out from different sides, it could be a product manager, a designer or even a customer.
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Initial influences and inspirations can come out from different sides, it could be a product manager, a designer or even a customer, so the project manager should keep in mind that every idea could be the idea.
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Afterwards, information has to be search and the three key sources are:
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- Market research
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Design Council listed some bullets point that have to be kept in mind at this stage <ref name="R2" />:
  
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- User research
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- Creating a project space
  
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- Design research group
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- Observation
  
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The market research includes tracking of perceptions and attitudes related to the company, its products and services, but it can also regard competitor analysis. It has been noticed that being user-oriented is one of the most important keys for companies, so in this phase is fundamental to understand what the customers need and in which way they would like to being satisfied.
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- User diaries
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In addition, design research groups aim to applied design thinking from the beginning of a design process.
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- Being your users
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- Brainstorming
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- Choosing a sample
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- Quantitative surveys
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- Fast visualisation
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- Secondary research
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- Hopes and fears
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It has been noticed that being user-oriented is one of the most important keys for companies, so in this phase is fundamental to understand what the customers need and in which way they would like to being satisfied.
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However, there are some possible errors that a team could commit, thus a project manager and his team have to be aware to not go with a biased research and be sure to question everything in order to obtain data from all directions also exploring areas that were not considered relevant before. In addition, too much research is also a not healthy way to proceed. So, remember that it is impossible to know everything.
  
 
====Define====
 
====Define====
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Once all the ideas and information are gathered, it is time to define. So, it is important that the whole team work on the project in order to assess possible issues from the beginning. It is fundamental to establish and keep a communication with other experts and department internally. Thus, not only designers have to take part but also all the other employees who can contribute in the evaluation of the project. This phase usually finishes with the corporate sign-off that can allow project managers continue their project or not.
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Once all the ideas and information are gathered, it is time to define. So, it is important that the whole team works on the project in order to assess possible issues from the beginning. It is fundamental to establish and keep a communication with other experts and department internally. Thus, not only designers have to take part but also all the other employees can contribute in the evaluation of the project. This phase usually finishes with the corporate sign-off that can allow project managers continue their project or not.
  
 
In the Define stage you traverse the convergent part because it starts with numerous possible solutions and it narrows until the definition of the best result. This result represents the proposal that will be presented in order to obtain the corporate sign-off.
 
In the Define stage you traverse the convergent part because it starts with numerous possible solutions and it narrows until the definition of the best result. This result represents the proposal that will be presented in order to obtain the corporate sign-off.
  
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Methods to review and narrow down your insights and establish your project’s main challenge are:<ref name="R3" />
  
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====Develop====
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- Focus groups
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At this point the project has been accepted and it has obtained the corporate and financial backing, thus it is the phase where design teams give life to prototypes and try and try. It is crucial under both the economical and temporal aspect to gather experts from different departments in order to speed up the process avoiding useless attempts that can be easily cut out just asking questions to the right people.
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This is the most iterative part because there are continuous tests and feedback until the optimal solution.
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- Assessment criteria
  
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====Deliver====
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- Comparing notes
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Finally, the deliver stage consists in taking the concept though the final testing signed-off, produced and launched.
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The key parts are:
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- Drivers and hurdles
  
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- Final testing, approval and launch
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- Customer journey mapping
  
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- Targets, evaluations and feedback loops.
 
  
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Basically, companies have to identify any late constraints or problems before manufacture and have to be aware of standards and regulations of the specific sector.
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Since this stage is also known as Synthesis Phase, all the team should focus on prioritising. What they will present in the business case has to be clear and has to focus on the challenge. One problem, one solution; not many problems to solve with just one proposal.
  
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Furthermore, organisations are required to report back on the success of the launched product or service with the particular scope to prove how a good design impacted on the success of the product or service.
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====Develop====
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At this point the project has been accepted and it has obtained the corporate and financial backing, thus this is the phase where design teams give life to prototypes and try and try and try. It is crucial under both the economical and temporal aspect to gather experts from different departments in order to speed up the process avoiding useless attempts that can be easily cut out just asking questions to the right people. This is the most iterative part because there are continuous tests and feedback until the optimal solution.
  
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==Applications==
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It is an ideation phase and for a successful project there is the need of methods to brainstorm design concept, test out what works and discard what doesn’t. They are:<ref name="R4" />
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This section reports two cases taken from the Design Council’s “'''A study of the design process'''” in which the organisation worked with eleven global brands in order to understand how they move into design processes. In both cases the Double Diamond can be observed even if each company has its own structure for designing.
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====BSKYB====
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- Character profiles
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British Sky Broadcasting (BSKYB), also known as Sky, is a British broadcaster and telecommunications company that provides television and broadband Internet services. The company was formed in 1990 by the merger of two early incumbents in the UK multi-channel TV market, Sky Television and British Satellite Broadcasting.
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Design Council had noticed the particular characteristic of the company to have an internal design management capability together with a strong relationship with an external design consultancy for the execution of product designs.
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- Scenarios
  
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Key elements of BSkyB’s product design strategy include[4]:
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- Role-playing
  
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- Ensuring the commissioned agency had a crucial understanding of the brand and positioning, and briefing them to incorporate brand identity into product design
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- Service blueprints
  
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- Developing a formal design language to give all products a consistent brand identity.
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- Physical prototyping
  
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- Working with its external agency partner during early market position, user behaviour and concept development phases.
 
  
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- Creating separate identities for individual product lines based on the requirements of their specific markets.  
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It’s good to identify three or four solid solutions and then put the ideas to a quick test in order to get feedback as soon as possible. The steps are: develop, show to your target group, get feedback.  
  
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- Developing a policy for visually identical products with multiple simultaneous manufacturing partners, using different internal electronics.  
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Thus, there are some points to keep in mind and, even if all the people in the team should do it, a good project manager should be the one who takes a step back. It means for example that he has to ask his team if they narrowed down the solution too quickly because you do not want to discard possible solutions before they had a chance to develop. It is also a good thing to stay away from navel-gazing in order to not fall in love with an idea that may be exciting only for you.
  
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- Getting buy-in from senior management (and a direct link to CEO) which makes it easier to justify investment in design and gives it a higher status within the organisation.  
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====Deliver====
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Finally, the deliver stage consists in taking the concept through the final testing signed-off, produced and launched.
  
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Design Council described some methods in order to be successful in this:<ref name="R5" />
  
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At that time, BSkyB was facing the re-designing of its set top boxes which were produced by external manufacturers and originally the design of the boxes was left entirely to the manufacturers’ discretion. But, around three years before the time of the study, the company’s senior management recognised that it would have be better to deliver a recognisable product as a highly visible element of the company’s presence in the customer’s home and a reinforcing feature for the company’s brand identity.
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- Phasing
  
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After a competitive pitch and the evaluation of different ideas and agencies, BSkyB selected Frog Design for this project and Ed Snodgrass was chosen as the project manager. He guided the company and the design consultancy through the design process called '''Discover – Design – Deliver'''.
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- Final testing
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It is simple to address this internal process to the Double Diamond model and, as shown in the figure, the main difference is that the Design phase of BSkyB is what the Double Diamond identifies as Define and Develop.
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[[File:Design at bskyb.png|450px|thumb|right|Design at BSKYB. Own creation.]]
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- Evaluation
  
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'''Discover'''
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- Feedback loops
  
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During the Discover stage, Frog came up with four concepts in line with a positioning model which also focused on the differentiation from competitors.
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- Methods bank
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It is also important to be user-oriented and BSkyB demonstrated to place high priority on understanding what the customers’ needs were. Moreover, for the best products development the company also highlighted the importance to give to both consultancy and the client a deeper understanding of this gathered information.
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'''Design'''
 
  
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This phase includes the two middle stages of the Double Diamond.
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Basically, companies have to identify any late constraints or problems before manufacture and have to be aware of standards and regulations of the specific sector.
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Firstly, BSkyB chose the best presented solution from Frog, then, even if the company had always been in conversation with the design studio and the manufacturers, the communication between the three increased in order to develop the best prototype. They used 3D CAD together with mock-ups to give a better understanding of dimensions.
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'''Deliver'''
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Furthermore, organisations are required to report back on the success of the launched product or service with the particular scope to prove how a good design impacted on the success of the product or service.
  
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It consisted in evaluating the final product with manufacturers in order to make it suitable with their manufacturing processes. It is the stage when late adjustments were done and then there was the production of the first items sent out for user testing.
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==Application==
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Afterwards, there were further evaluations and fixing until the last product ready to be launched in the market.
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In conclusion, this was a case where a good managing of design process allowed the company, the studio design and the manufacturers to work better and almost without any waste of time.
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[[File:Project menagement process groups.png|600px|thumb|right|'''Figure 3''': Graphical description of the relation between the Double Diamond and the Project Management Process Groups. Own creation.]]
  
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The Double Diamond has been adopted by numerous organisations, even if it could be considered as a young model considering that it was presented just around fifteen years ago. It is a new model, maybe a new way of designing processes but comparing with some standards we can find similarities. In fact, the PMI standard “Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge” <ref name="R6" /> describes what it called the “Project Management Process Groups” which can be relate to the phases of the Design Council’s model. As shown in the Figure 3, almost every group is linked to a phase, except for the Executing Process Group and Monitoring and Controlling Process Group that both fit in the Develop phase of the second diamond.
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Thus, the Double Diamond was not the big reveal but it wanted to simplify and lead companies throughout projects and their design processes.
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In 2007 Design Council conducted a study of the design process used in eleven leading global companies <ref name="R7" /> where they could notice and appreciate the used of Double Diamond-based models. In particular, one of them was the British Sky Broadcasting company.
  
  
  
  
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====The LEGO Foundation====
 
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The Danish LEGO Foundation is one of the largest toy makers in the world and it is primarily known for the plastic little bricks with which many generations of children have played and developed their creativity.
 
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The LEGO Foundation was founded in 1932 by the Danish carpenter Ole Kirk Christiansen and the name of the company came from the abbreviation of the Danish words ''"leg godt"'' that mean ''"play well"''.
 
  
  
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It is a relevant case study to analyse because at the time of the Design Council study the company had just developed a new design system called Design for Business (D4B) which accurately follow the Double Diamond structure. The main idea for this new introduction to the LEGO design team was to ensure that all design activities were supported by a real business case. The key elements of the Design for Business are[5]:
 
  
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- The alignment between corporate objectives and design strategy
 
  
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- Strengthening the collaboration in core project teams containing a design, a marketing and product manager
 
  
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- Challenge sessions for the team during this process, run by colleagues and D4B members
 
  
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- The development of a standard sequence of activities for product development, with frequent evaluations and decision gates
 
  
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- The development of standard processes for presenting the outputs of design phases to allow straightforward comparison of different projects and options.
 
  
  
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The last two points particularly match the purpose of the Double Diamond in giving a framework as a guide and a help for the design team. LEGO wanted to shape its product-focused approach with a larger perspective of the innovation within the organisation. Thus, three “tools” were introduced in the design process:
 
  
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- An innovation model, which aims to encourage a shared understanding and language around innovation.
 
  
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- A foundation overview, that consists in a poster-based tool used for visualise the company development process.
 
  
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- A roadmap, to plan how each phase relates to the next.
 
  
  
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Focusing on the foundation overview, you can clearly and easily visualise the company’s development process that is fairly related to the Double Diamond structure. The process is divided into what LEGO calls four Prototyping phases and five Manufacturing phases.
 
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The four prototyping phases can be summarised with the first diamond while the five manufacturing stages can be represented by the second one as the two parts of the process are separated by the evaluation of the project and the go/no-go decision which is the corporate sign-off in the Design Council’s model.
 
  
  
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- '''P0''' (portfolio kick-off): the business objectives for the project are defined. This phase usually takes two or three months with the goal to address the critical problems that have to be solved for products.
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====BSKYB====
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British Sky Broadcasting (BSKYB), also known as Sky, is a British broadcaster and telecommunications company that provides television and broadband Internet services. The company was formed in 1990 by the merger of two early incumbents in the UK multi-channel TV market, Sky Television and British Satellite Broadcasting.
  
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- '''P1''' (opportunity freeze): the team evaluates the alternatives that would solve the issues identified in P0 and start developing them into concept. The marketing team is also involved to build market and customers insights into the business case.
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Design Council had noticed the particular characteristic of the company to have an internal design management capability together with a strong relationship with an external design consultancy for the execution of product designs.  
  
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- '''P2''' (concept freeze): assessment of the concepts in the context of overall business, product, communication and process requirements. Some initial prototyping may be done and the first complete business case is prepared.
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[[File:Design at bskyb.png|600px|thumb|right|'''Figure 2''': Graphical comparison between the Double Diamond and the phases of BSKYB's design process. Own creation.]]
  
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- '''P3''' (portfolio freeze): it is decided which ideas turn into projects. The full project requirements are established, including staff requirements, tooling and design costs and the full business case is put forward for approval.
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At the time of the study, BSkyB was facing the re-designing of its set top boxes which were produced by external manufacturers and originally also the design of the boxes was left entirely to the manufacturers’ discretion. But, around three years before the time of the study, the company’s senior management recognised that it would have be better to deliver a recognisable product as a highly visible element of the company’s presence in the customer’s home and a reinforcing feature for the company’s brand identity.
  
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The company started working with Frog Design agency for this project. Ed Snodgrass was the project manager and he led the project through an internal process called '''Discover''' – '''Design''' – '''Deliver'''. It basically worked along the same lines of the Double Diamond even if it unified the Define and Develop stages under the Design one.
  
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As it is shown in the Figure n. ,P0 and P1 can be related to the discovery phase while P2 and P3 fit in the definition stage of the Double Diamond. In fact, in the first two parts there is the research, the coming up of new ideas and the try to put them into concepts while the last two steps start focusing on the doable ones and outlining other aspects in order to get the project ready to present.
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It is a good example of the application of the model because, besides to have an explicit similar way of proceed, it shows how the company took advantage from the principle of the Double Diamond starting with a user-oriented view and completing the project without any waste of time thanks to a consistent and meticulous communication.
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In addition, LEGO introduce a foundation document through which it gives a template that has to be used for the projects’ presentations allowing teams to focus mainly on the contents and let bosses to make more objective decisions.
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During the Discover part, Frog presented to BskyB some alternatives in order to differentiate from the competitors but also keeping in mind to be user-oriented.
  
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Once the project obtained the corporate sign-off, the team moves to the second diamond in which LEGO recognise five main steps.
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In what the company called Design phase, after had chosen the best presented option, they went through the real designing of the product and prototyped it until they got the final version. During this phase the continuous communication between the company, the studio design and the manufacturers was decisive as well as the leading of the project manager. He let the project be fluent and effective.
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The final step, the Deliver, consisted in evaluating the final product with manufacturers in order to make it suitable with their manufacturing processes. It is the stage when late adjustments were done and then there was the production of the first items sent out for user testing.
  
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- '''M1''' (project kick off) designers and product managers work together to refine the product definition and the business plan that will be used to bring it to market, ensuring that all design activities will be focussed on fulfilling the precise business brief
 
  
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- '''M2''' (business freeze) the business case is finalised and product design can be completed to meet the business requirements
 
  
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- '''M3''' (product freeze) product design is complete and attention turns to the packaging, marketing and communication aspects of the project
 
  
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- '''M4''' (communication freeze) all physical aspects of the product, packaging and can begin the process of building the supply chain necessary to deliver the product to market
 
  
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- '''M5''' (procurement freeze) the supply chain is completed, manufacturing is started and the product is launched. [6]
 
  
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In this case, the first two stages are fits in the Double Diamond’s Develop while the other three are related to the delivery part since they regard the packaging, the marketing and all the needed activities for launching the new products.
 
  
  
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To conclude, the economic benefits of this approach can be seen on the ''“Revenue of the LEGO Group from 2003 to 2019”''. [7]
 
  
 
==Benefits==
 
==Benefits==
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Focusing on the benefits of the Double Diamond it can be said that thanks to its flexibility it can be used in many different kinds of companies situated in many different markets, no matter if they produce physical products or services.  
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The Double Diamond was developed to be a flexible model that can suit every type of project no matter if a company is going to develop, modify or produce a physical product or a service. Although Design Council gave to the model a sort of linearity with an initial and an ending point, it could be just partially applied depend on the situations and the needs of a project.
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In addition, having a clear way to structure the design process take to a good design, and good design makes both products more competitive and users happy.
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Moreover, the power of the firm’s brand identity increase and the user-oriented philosophy help a lot of companies which didn’t focused on it before.
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In addition, since every project is unique, the model you use has to have some level of tailoring, which means ''“adapting a method or process to suit the situation in which it will be used”''<ref name="R8" />  The Double Diamond is a perfect example of model that allows project managers to fit their projects into its structure thanks to the high flexibility and adaptability.
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Moreover, the Double Diamond helps teams and project managers to define a clear roadmap and incorporate users’ feedback since the beginning helping them to keep focusing on the project’s goals. It is also very useful because, besides to give an overall overview of the project, it helps everybody in the team to be aware what phase they are currently at and what the following steps are.
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Finally, the model is a visual tool which let project managers communicating to stakeholders in a clearer way when presenting a project.
  
  
  
 
==Limitations==
 
==Limitations==
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One of the main complains about the Double Diamond is that it is too linear and some companies or designers could not want to consider it due to the ongoing changes of the market and in the companies themselves.
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Although the Double Diamond is supposed to be a guide for all kind of steps within a project, one of the main drawbacks is that numerous companies found it too linear. In fact, during the process of developing something it is extremely common to make some mistakes that let you understand that you need to restart the whole process or maybe a part of it, while the model doesn’t say too much about turning back to previous stages.
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Another drawback sets in the develop stage inasmuch there could be changes due to market shifts or competitor activities. So, the ideal process described by the Double Diamond could last too long, especially for that firms which compete in fluctuating markets.
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Furthermore, it doesn’t take into account the time factor. Considering that ''“a project is a temporary endeavour undertaken to create a unique product, service, or result”''<ref name="R6" />, the temporal element is fundamental because for a company it means money and opportunities. For example, a fast change of the market situation could be dangerous for the introduction of a new product and, if this doesn’t respect the pre-fixed time, competitors could take advantage from it or the project could lose its usefulness.  
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 +
So, taking time into more consideration and having more possibility to switch back and forth between phases would help companies to face the ongoing changes of the market and in the organisation themselves.
 +
 
  
  
  
 
==Framework For Innovation==
 
==Framework For Innovation==
−
Design Council has already written the future of the Double Diamond since they improved it with the “'''Framework for Innovation'''”. The main point they improved regard the non-linearity of the updated model because numerous organizations which applied the Double Diamond notice that they often needed to come back at the beginning in order to learn more from the underlying problems, so some arrows were added to the diagram.
 
  
−
In addition, it added four core principles to the previous model:
+
[[File:Double Diamond Model 2019 - framework for innovation 2.png|600px|thumb|right|'''Figure 4''': Design Council's Framework for Innovation graphic model. Source<ref name="R9" />]]
 +
 
 +
To face some of these drawbacks, Design Council has developed an upgraded version of the Double Diamond called “Framework for Innovation”. This time, the process shown by the diagram is not linear. They added arrows going back which underline that a process is not linear but commonly there is the need to go back.
 +
 
 +
The framework for innovation highlights four core principles for problem-solvers in order to give them the possibility to work as effectively as possible. These are:<ref name="R9" />
 +
 
 +
- '''Put people first'''. Start with an understanding of the people using a service, their needs, strengths and aspirations. 
 +
 
 +
- '''Communicate visually and inclusively'''. Help people gain a shared understanding of the problem and ideas. 
 +
 
 +
- '''Collaborate and co-create'''. Work together and get inspired by what others are doing.
 +
 
 +
- '''Iterate, iterate, iterate'''. Do this to spot errors early, avoid risk and build confidence in your ideas.
 +
 
 +
The model is embraced by two fundamental concepts: engagement and leadership (respectively “Dealing with people” and “leadership skills” in the PMBOK Guide<ref name="R6" />).
 +
 
 +
These constitute two fundamental aspects for the success of a project since a project manager has to be a good leader who has the ''“the ability to guide, motivate, and direct a team”''<ref name="R6" /> and dealing with people studying their behaviours and motivations.
 +
 
 +
''“A project manager applies leadership skills and qualities when working with all project stakeholders, including the project team, the steering team, and project sponsors.”''<ref name="R6" />
 +
 
 +
 
  
−
- Put people first.
 
  
−
- Communicate visually and inclusively.
 
  
−
- Collaborate and co-create.
 
  
−
- Iterate, iterate, iterate.
 
  
−
==Conclusion==
 
−
To conclude, the Double Diamond has to be seen like a flexible and adaptable way of develop a design process in order to make it as efficient and valuable as possible.
 
−
So, what a project manager should take from this article is the knowledge of this theory and keep in mind when facing new challenges or problems.
 
  
  
  
 
==Bibliography==
 
==Bibliography==
 +
 +
*"Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge" (PMBOK® Guide) (6th Edition). It is a set of standard terminology and guidelines for project management. It is a foundation upon which organisations can build methodologies, policies, procedures, rules, tools and techniques, and life cycle phases needed to practice project management.
 +
 +
*"Managing Successful Projects with PRINCE2" (Edition 2017) PRINCE2 (PRojects IN Controlled Environments) is one of the most used methods for managing projects based on experience draw from thousands of projects and from the contributions of countless sponsors, project managers, project teams, academics, trainers and consultants. In this book the method is explained in detail and ways of applying it are described.
 +
 +
*"A study of the design process" (2007) ''Eleven lessons: managing design in eleven global brands''. This is a study conducted by Design Council in 2007 in order to analyse the design processes of eleven global companies and understanding how they faced the design process of a project. At the basis of the study there is the Double Diamond model which can be related to all of these firms.
  
 
==References==
 
==References==
 +
 +
<references >
 +
 +
<ref name="R1"> https://www.designcouncil.org.uk/news-opinion/double-diamond-universally-accepted-depiction-design-process </ref>
 +
 +
<ref name="R2"> https://www.designcouncil.org.uk/news-opinion/design-methods-step-1-discover </ref>
 +
 +
<ref name="R3"> https://www.designcouncil.org.uk/news-opinion/design-methods-step-2-define </ref>
 +
 +
<ref name="R4"> https://www.designcouncil.org.uk/news-opinion/design-methods-step-3-develop </ref>
 +
 +
<ref name="R5"> https://www.designcouncil.org.uk/news-opinion/design-methods-step-4-deliver </ref>
 +
 +
<ref name="R6"> https://app-knovel-com.proxy.findit.dtu.dk/web/toc.v/cid:kpGPMBKP02/viewerType:toc/root_slug:viewerType%3Atoc/url_slug:root_slug%3Aguide-project-management?kpromoter=federation </ref>
 +
 +
<ref name="R7"> https://www.designcouncil.org.uk/sites/default/files/asset/document/ElevenLessons_Design_Council%20(2).pdf </ref>
 +
 +
<ref name="R8"> https://ebookcentral-proquest-com.proxy.findit.dtu.dk/lib/DTUDK/detail.action?docID=4863041 </ref>
 +
 +
<ref name="R9"> https://www.designcouncil.org.uk/news-opinion/what-framework-innovation-design-councils-evolved-double-diamond </ref>

Latest revision as of 14:52, 28 February 2021

Developed by Jacopo Renzi

Contents

[edit] Abstract

Every company could have its own method to face the process behind the design of a project for a new product or for solving a problem but it has been observed that all firms go through the same steps when they have to think, design or solve and this is the reason why Design Council developed and launched the Double Diamond in 2005.

The Double Diamond is a model which aims to let design teams visualise the main steps they have to follow in order to achieve the best result in the best possible way. As the name suggests, the model is composed by two diamond-shape figures and each of these is divided into two other parts which bring to the four main phases of the Double Diamond: Discover, Define, Develop and Deliver.

The Discover and Define phases describe the first part of a project where a team has to think of different ideas and gather a lot of information through, for example, users and market researches and then define the problem. The Develop and Deliver phases set in the second diamond when, after the approval of the corporate, the team starts developing possible solutions, prototype and obtain feedback and finally deliver the optimal final solution.

The purpose of this article is showing how the Double Diamond can be related to project management and why its application can reveal to be very convenient for many companies, especially for those that want to enlarge their customers’ satisfaction. In fact, one of the core principles the model talks about is that companies have to be user-oriented and consider users’ needs since the beginning of the design process.


[edit] The Big Idea

In 2003 Design Council was focused on the importance of the adoption of a strategic approach to design and how much significant was the design management. Richard Eisermann, director of Design and Innovation at the time, asked his team to describe what design process is. As a consequence, they decided to define a model which described the stages behind all design processes. They had regular meetings during which they shared their respective researches on the design methods used across the organisation’s previous works in order to elaborate and design an adaptable structure that could fit all processes.

Afterwards, from those analysis, it came up that all firms followed a similar, if not the same, procedure that the Double Diamond model summarises through four principal phases and a divergent and convergent trend.

The scope was to “create something that would be applicable in any field”[1], and despite its recent introduction into the process design market, that is why it is widely utilised because thanks to its adaptability it can be used whether you have to develop a new product or you have to face a problem. However, Richard came across the basis concept of the Double Diamond years before, in particular he remembered that "Dave Duncanson, an engineer at IDEO, talked to me about the product development process as being like the classic diamond-shaped kite, with a tail composed of progressively smaller diamonds. […]"[1]. So, the idea of divergent and convergent diagrams had already been founded although it did not have a name yet.


[edit] The model

The Double Diamond consists in a framework which helps teams to go through a project and also help project manager and all the members of the group to stay focused on the goals. This model wants to be as simple as possible, so when you look at it, it should be clear where you begin, where you finished and what is in the middle.

When a team starts working on a project, they may know what goals they have to reach but the starting point is not always a clear status, so that is why during the project, and through the Double Diamond, you go from a point where you don’t know to a point where you do know. It has also to be considered that the final goals could be modified or re-assessed during the path due to possible market changes or further analysis which let you have a better understanding of what you have to do.

So, the first part of the process, also known as the first diamond, consists in making the right question and establishing the right problem to solve. Afterwards the scope is to find the right answer and develop the right way to solve that problem. Anna White, one of the people behind the Double Diamond, said: “For me the first part of the diamond is about questioning the brief and defining the problem statement. I explain it as ‘designing the right thing’. The second part of the diamond is about exploring possibility, iteration, testing and developing, so ‘designing the thing right’.”[1] Each of this part go through a convergent and divergent trend that represent the idea to be inspired as much as possible gathering lots of information and do many tests but then you have to narrow down and concentrate in the best result you can get.

We will now analyse the four main phases of the model.


Figure 1:The Double Diamond Model. Own creation inspired by the British Design Council graphic [1]

[edit] Discover

Also known as Research Phase, this is the first step starting with the single problem and ending with a portfolio of different possibilities that have to be properly evaluated later in the process. In the graphical way, this is the divergent part in which almost every idea is welcome and deserves to be taken into account. In fact, one of the main aspects of this stage is to keep minds open.

Initial influences and inspirations can come out from different sides, it could be a product manager, a designer or even a customer, so the project manager should keep in mind that every idea could be the idea.

Design Council listed some bullets point that have to be kept in mind at this stage [2]:

- Creating a project space

- Observation

- User diaries

- Being your users

- Brainstorming

- Choosing a sample

- Quantitative surveys

- Fast visualisation

- Secondary research

- Hopes and fears


It has been noticed that being user-oriented is one of the most important keys for companies, so in this phase is fundamental to understand what the customers need and in which way they would like to being satisfied.

However, there are some possible errors that a team could commit, thus a project manager and his team have to be aware to not go with a biased research and be sure to question everything in order to obtain data from all directions also exploring areas that were not considered relevant before. In addition, too much research is also a not healthy way to proceed. So, remember that it is impossible to know everything.

[edit] Define

Once all the ideas and information are gathered, it is time to define. So, it is important that the whole team works on the project in order to assess possible issues from the beginning. It is fundamental to establish and keep a communication with other experts and department internally. Thus, not only designers have to take part but also all the other employees can contribute in the evaluation of the project. This phase usually finishes with the corporate sign-off that can allow project managers continue their project or not.

In the Define stage you traverse the convergent part because it starts with numerous possible solutions and it narrows until the definition of the best result. This result represents the proposal that will be presented in order to obtain the corporate sign-off.

Methods to review and narrow down your insights and establish your project’s main challenge are:[3]

- Focus groups

- Assessment criteria

- Comparing notes

- Drivers and hurdles

- Customer journey mapping


Since this stage is also known as Synthesis Phase, all the team should focus on prioritising. What they will present in the business case has to be clear and has to focus on the challenge. One problem, one solution; not many problems to solve with just one proposal.

[edit] Develop

At this point the project has been accepted and it has obtained the corporate and financial backing, thus this is the phase where design teams give life to prototypes and try and try and try. It is crucial under both the economical and temporal aspect to gather experts from different departments in order to speed up the process avoiding useless attempts that can be easily cut out just asking questions to the right people. This is the most iterative part because there are continuous tests and feedback until the optimal solution.

It is an ideation phase and for a successful project there is the need of methods to brainstorm design concept, test out what works and discard what doesn’t. They are:[4]

- Character profiles

- Scenarios

- Role-playing

- Service blueprints

- Physical prototyping


It’s good to identify three or four solid solutions and then put the ideas to a quick test in order to get feedback as soon as possible. The steps are: develop, show to your target group, get feedback.

Thus, there are some points to keep in mind and, even if all the people in the team should do it, a good project manager should be the one who takes a step back. It means for example that he has to ask his team if they narrowed down the solution too quickly because you do not want to discard possible solutions before they had a chance to develop. It is also a good thing to stay away from navel-gazing in order to not fall in love with an idea that may be exciting only for you.

[edit] Deliver

Finally, the deliver stage consists in taking the concept through the final testing signed-off, produced and launched.

Design Council described some methods in order to be successful in this:[5]

- Phasing

- Final testing

- Evaluation

- Feedback loops

- Methods bank


Basically, companies have to identify any late constraints or problems before manufacture and have to be aware of standards and regulations of the specific sector.

Furthermore, organisations are required to report back on the success of the launched product or service with the particular scope to prove how a good design impacted on the success of the product or service.

[edit] Application

Figure 3: Graphical description of the relation between the Double Diamond and the Project Management Process Groups. Own creation.

The Double Diamond has been adopted by numerous organisations, even if it could be considered as a young model considering that it was presented just around fifteen years ago. It is a new model, maybe a new way of designing processes but comparing with some standards we can find similarities. In fact, the PMI standard “Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge” [6] describes what it called the “Project Management Process Groups” which can be relate to the phases of the Design Council’s model. As shown in the Figure 3, almost every group is linked to a phase, except for the Executing Process Group and Monitoring and Controlling Process Group that both fit in the Develop phase of the second diamond.

Thus, the Double Diamond was not the big reveal but it wanted to simplify and lead companies throughout projects and their design processes. In 2007 Design Council conducted a study of the design process used in eleven leading global companies [7] where they could notice and appreciate the used of Double Diamond-based models. In particular, one of them was the British Sky Broadcasting company.











[edit] BSKYB

British Sky Broadcasting (BSKYB), also known as Sky, is a British broadcaster and telecommunications company that provides television and broadband Internet services. The company was formed in 1990 by the merger of two early incumbents in the UK multi-channel TV market, Sky Television and British Satellite Broadcasting.

Design Council had noticed the particular characteristic of the company to have an internal design management capability together with a strong relationship with an external design consultancy for the execution of product designs.

Figure 2: Graphical comparison between the Double Diamond and the phases of BSKYB's design process. Own creation.

At the time of the study, BSkyB was facing the re-designing of its set top boxes which were produced by external manufacturers and originally also the design of the boxes was left entirely to the manufacturers’ discretion. But, around three years before the time of the study, the company’s senior management recognised that it would have be better to deliver a recognisable product as a highly visible element of the company’s presence in the customer’s home and a reinforcing feature for the company’s brand identity.

The company started working with Frog Design agency for this project. Ed Snodgrass was the project manager and he led the project through an internal process called Discover – Design – Deliver. It basically worked along the same lines of the Double Diamond even if it unified the Define and Develop stages under the Design one.

It is a good example of the application of the model because, besides to have an explicit similar way of proceed, it shows how the company took advantage from the principle of the Double Diamond starting with a user-oriented view and completing the project without any waste of time thanks to a consistent and meticulous communication.

During the Discover part, Frog presented to BskyB some alternatives in order to differentiate from the competitors but also keeping in mind to be user-oriented.

In what the company called Design phase, after had chosen the best presented option, they went through the real designing of the product and prototyped it until they got the final version. During this phase the continuous communication between the company, the studio design and the manufacturers was decisive as well as the leading of the project manager. He let the project be fluent and effective.

The final step, the Deliver, consisted in evaluating the final product with manufacturers in order to make it suitable with their manufacturing processes. It is the stage when late adjustments were done and then there was the production of the first items sent out for user testing.





[edit] Benefits

The Double Diamond was developed to be a flexible model that can suit every type of project no matter if a company is going to develop, modify or produce a physical product or a service. Although Design Council gave to the model a sort of linearity with an initial and an ending point, it could be just partially applied depend on the situations and the needs of a project.

In addition, since every project is unique, the model you use has to have some level of tailoring, which means “adapting a method or process to suit the situation in which it will be used”[8] The Double Diamond is a perfect example of model that allows project managers to fit their projects into its structure thanks to the high flexibility and adaptability.

Moreover, the Double Diamond helps teams and project managers to define a clear roadmap and incorporate users’ feedback since the beginning helping them to keep focusing on the project’s goals. It is also very useful because, besides to give an overall overview of the project, it helps everybody in the team to be aware what phase they are currently at and what the following steps are.

Finally, the model is a visual tool which let project managers communicating to stakeholders in a clearer way when presenting a project.


[edit] Limitations

Although the Double Diamond is supposed to be a guide for all kind of steps within a project, one of the main drawbacks is that numerous companies found it too linear. In fact, during the process of developing something it is extremely common to make some mistakes that let you understand that you need to restart the whole process or maybe a part of it, while the model doesn’t say too much about turning back to previous stages.

Furthermore, it doesn’t take into account the time factor. Considering that “a project is a temporary endeavour undertaken to create a unique product, service, or result”[6], the temporal element is fundamental because for a company it means money and opportunities. For example, a fast change of the market situation could be dangerous for the introduction of a new product and, if this doesn’t respect the pre-fixed time, competitors could take advantage from it or the project could lose its usefulness.

So, taking time into more consideration and having more possibility to switch back and forth between phases would help companies to face the ongoing changes of the market and in the organisation themselves.



[edit] Framework For Innovation

Figure 4: Design Council's Framework for Innovation graphic model. Source[9]

To face some of these drawbacks, Design Council has developed an upgraded version of the Double Diamond called “Framework for Innovation”. This time, the process shown by the diagram is not linear. They added arrows going back which underline that a process is not linear but commonly there is the need to go back.

The framework for innovation highlights four core principles for problem-solvers in order to give them the possibility to work as effectively as possible. These are:[9]

- Put people first. Start with an understanding of the people using a service, their needs, strengths and aspirations.

- Communicate visually and inclusively. Help people gain a shared understanding of the problem and ideas.

- Collaborate and co-create. Work together and get inspired by what others are doing.

- Iterate, iterate, iterate. Do this to spot errors early, avoid risk and build confidence in your ideas.

The model is embraced by two fundamental concepts: engagement and leadership (respectively “Dealing with people” and “leadership skills” in the PMBOK Guide[6]).

These constitute two fundamental aspects for the success of a project since a project manager has to be a good leader who has the “the ability to guide, motivate, and direct a team”[6] and dealing with people studying their behaviours and motivations.

“A project manager applies leadership skills and qualities when working with all project stakeholders, including the project team, the steering team, and project sponsors.”[6]






[edit] Bibliography

  • "Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge" (PMBOK® Guide) (6th Edition). It is a set of standard terminology and guidelines for project management. It is a foundation upon which organisations can build methodologies, policies, procedures, rules, tools and techniques, and life cycle phases needed to practice project management.
  • "Managing Successful Projects with PRINCE2" (Edition 2017) PRINCE2 (PRojects IN Controlled Environments) is one of the most used methods for managing projects based on experience draw from thousands of projects and from the contributions of countless sponsors, project managers, project teams, academics, trainers and consultants. In this book the method is explained in detail and ways of applying it are described.
  • "A study of the design process" (2007) Eleven lessons: managing design in eleven global brands. This is a study conducted by Design Council in 2007 in order to analyse the design processes of eleven global companies and understanding how they faced the design process of a project. At the basis of the study there is the Double Diamond model which can be related to all of these firms.

[edit] References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 https://www.designcouncil.org.uk/news-opinion/double-diamond-universally-accepted-depiction-design-process
  2. ↑ https://www.designcouncil.org.uk/news-opinion/design-methods-step-1-discover
  3. ↑ https://www.designcouncil.org.uk/news-opinion/design-methods-step-2-define
  4. ↑ https://www.designcouncil.org.uk/news-opinion/design-methods-step-3-develop
  5. ↑ https://www.designcouncil.org.uk/news-opinion/design-methods-step-4-deliver
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 https://app-knovel-com.proxy.findit.dtu.dk/web/toc.v/cid:kpGPMBKP02/viewerType:toc/root_slug:viewerType%3Atoc/url_slug:root_slug%3Aguide-project-management?kpromoter=federation
  7. ↑ https://www.designcouncil.org.uk/sites/default/files/asset/document/ElevenLessons_Design_Council%20(2).pdf
  8. ↑ https://ebookcentral-proquest-com.proxy.findit.dtu.dk/lib/DTUDK/detail.action?docID=4863041
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 https://www.designcouncil.org.uk/news-opinion/what-framework-innovation-design-councils-evolved-double-diamond
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