The Double Diamond Approach

Overview

In the complex landscape of problem-solving and innovation, having a clear, structured approach is crucial for navigating challenges effectively. The Double Diamond model, developed by the British Design Council in 2005, offers a powerful visual framework for understanding and applying the Design Thinking process.

The Double Diamond represents a design process model divided into four distinct phases, represented by two adjacent diamonds: Discover, Define, Develop, and Deliver. Each diamond represents a phase of divergent thinking (where many possibilities are explored) followed by convergent thinking (where possibilities are narrowed down and focused). This model elegantly captures the essence of Design Thinking, emphasising the importance of both exploring the problem space and the solution space before arriving at a final outcome.

This factsheet explores the Double Diamond approach, its key phases, how it aligns with the Design Thinking process, and strategies for effectively implementing it in various contexts. By understanding and leveraging this model, teams can enhance their problem-solving capabilities, ensure they’re addressing the right problems, and develop more innovative and effective solutions.

Why It Matters

Understanding and implementing the Double Diamond approach is crucial for several reasons:

  1. Structured Creativity: It provides a clear structure for creative processes, balancing exploration with focused decision-making.
  2. Problem Framing: The first diamond ensures that teams spend adequate time understanding and defining the problem before jumping to solutions.
  3. Iterative Process: It encourages iteration and refinement, leading to more robust and customer-centred solutions.
  4. Visual Communication: The model serves as an effective tool for explaining the design process to stakeholders and team members.
  5. Flexibility: While structured, the model is flexible enough to be applied to a wide range of challenges and contexts.
  6. Balanced Thinking: It explicitly incorporates both divergent and convergent thinking, ensuring a comprehensive approach to problem-solving.
  7. Customer-Centricity: The model emphasises understanding customer needs and testing solutions with customers, leading to more effective outcomes.
  8. Avoiding Premature Solutions: By separating problem exploration from solution development, it helps teams avoid jumping to conclusions too quickly.

By adopting the Double Diamond approach, teams can navigate complex problem spaces more effectively, leading to solutions that are both innovative and well-aligned with customer needs and organisational goals.

Key Components of the Double Diamond Approach

The Double Diamond model consists of four key phases, each with its own focus and activities:

  1. Discover (First Diamond – Diverge): Exploring the problem space and gathering insights. Example: Conducting customer interviews, market research, and trend analysis to understand the challenges facing urban commuters.
  2. Define (First Diamond – Converge): Synthesizing insights to clearly articulate the core problem. Example: Analysing research data to frame the key issue as “How might we make urban commuting more sustainable and enjoyable?”
  3. Develop (Second Diamond – Diverge): Generating and exploring multiple potential solutions. Example: Brainstorming various solutions ranging from improved bike lanes to AI-powered public transport systems.
  4. Deliver (Second Diamond – Converge): Refining and implementing the most promising solution(s). Example: Prototyping and testing a new app that integrates multiple transport modes for seamless urban commuting.
UNDERSTAND EXPLORE DISCOVER DEFINE DEVELOP DELIVER DIVERGE CONVERGE DIVERGE CONVERGE

Key principles that underpin the model:

  1. Customer-Centricity: Keeping customer needs at the heart of every phase.
  2. Co-creation: Involving a diverse range of stakeholders throughout the process.
  3. Iteration: Being willing to loop back to earlier phases as new insights emerge.
  4. Visual Thinking: Using visual tools to explore and communicate ideas.
  5. Experimentation: Embracing a ‘fail fast, learn fast’ mentality, especially in the Develop and Deliver phases.

These components and principles work together to create a comprehensive approach to Design Thinking that balances exploration with focused execution.

Implementing the Double Diamond Approach

Successfully implementing the Double Diamond approach requires thoughtful planning and execution. Here are key considerations for each phase:

  1. Discover Phase:
    • Cast a wide net for information gathering
    • Use diverse research methods (interviews, observations, data analysis)
    • Suspend judgment and remain open to unexpected insights
    • Engage with a broad range of stakeholders
  2. Define Phase:
    • Synthesize research findings into clear insights
    • Use tools like affinity mapping to identify patterns
    • Craft a clear problem statement or “How Might We” question
    • Validate the problem definition with key stakeholders
  3. Develop Phase:
    • Encourage wild ideas and suspend judgment
    • Use a variety of ideation techniques (brainstorming, SCAMPER, analogical thinking)
    • Involve diverse perspectives in the ideation process
    • Create rough prototypes to explore ideas tangibly
  4. Deliver Phase:
    • Establish clear criteria for evaluating solutions
    • Conduct customer testing with prototypes
    • Refine and iterate based on feedback
    • Develop an implementation plan for the chosen solution(s)

Cross-cutting strategies:

  1. Clear Transitions: Signal clearly when moving from divergent to convergent thinking in each diamond.
  2. Timeboxing: Set clear timeframes for each phase to maintain momentum.
  3. Documentation: Capture insights and ideas throughout the process for future reference.
  4. Stakeholder Involvement: Keep key stakeholders engaged throughout, balancing their input with customer needs.
  5. Flexibility: Be prepared to move back to earlier phases if new insights demand it.
  6. Visual Management: Use visual tools (like Kanban boards) to track progress through the diamonds.
  7. Reflection: Build in reflection points at the end of each phase to capture learnings.

Remember, while the Double Diamond provides a clear structure, it should be adapted to fit the specific context and needs of each project or organisation.

Case Study

To illustrate the practical application of the Double Diamond approach, let’s consider a case study of a large retail bank aiming to improve their mortgage application process for first-time homebuyers.

Background: The bank was losing market share in the first-time homebuyer segment and receiving negative feedback about their complex and time-consuming mortgage application process. They decided to use the Double Diamond approach to reimagine this crucial customer journey.

Approach:

  1. Discover Phase:
    • Conducted in-depth interviews with first-time homebuyers, real estate agents, and bank staff
    • Analysed customer feedback data and application abandonment rates
    • Researched emerging fintech solutions in the mortgage space
    • Shadowed customers going through the current application process
  2. Define Phase:
    • Synthesized research insights using affinity mapping
    • Identified key pain points: complexity of financial jargon, uncertainty about application status, and lengthy processing times
    • Crafted the core problem statement: “How might we create a mortgage application process that feels simple, transparent, and swift for first-time homebuyers?”
  3. Develop Phase:
    • Conducted ideation workshops with cross-functional teams, generating over 100 ideas
    • Explored concepts ranging from AI-powered application assistants to blockchain-based verification processes
    • Created rough prototypes of the most promising ideas, including a new digital application interface and a novel “mortgage coach” service
  4. Deliver Phase:
    • Developed high-fidelity prototypes of a streamlined digital application and the mortgage coach service
    • Conducted customer testing with first-time homebuyers, iterating on the prototypes based on feedback
    • Piloted the new process in select branches, gathering data on customer satisfaction and application completion rates
    • Refined the solution based on pilot results and prepared for full-scale implementation

Key Outcomes:

  • Launched a new digital mortgage application platform with integrated financial education tools
  • Implemented a “mortgage coach” service to guide first-time buyers through the process
  • Streamlined the backend processes, reducing average application processing time by 40%

Results: Within six months of full implementation, the bank saw a 30% increase in completed mortgage applications from first-time homebuyers, a 25% improvement in customer satisfaction scores, and a 15% increase in market share for this segment.

This case study demonstrates how the Double Diamond approach allowed the bank to thoroughly explore the problem space before committing to solutions, leading to innovations that truly addressed customer pain points. The structured yet flexible nature of the approach enabled them to balance creativity with practical implementation, resulting in a transformative change to their mortgage application process.

Reflection Questions and Action Prompts

As you consider implementing the Double Diamond approach in your projects, reflect on the following questions and consider the associated action prompts:

  1. How might our current problem-solving process benefit from a more structured approach to both problem and solution exploration? Action: Map your current process against the Double Diamond model. Identify areas where you might be short changing either divergent or convergent thinking.
  2. In what ways could we improve our ‘Discover’ phase to gather more diverse and unexpected insights? Action: For your next project, identify one unconventional research method (e.g., cultural probes, diary studies) and incorporate it into your discovery process.
  3. How can we ensure we’re defining the right problem before moving to solution generation? Action: Before your next project moves to solution development, host a problem framing workshop where you explore at least three different ways to articulate the core challenge.
  4. What barriers might we face in implementing a full Double Diamond process, and how can we overcome them? Action: Identify the top three organisational barriers to adopting this approach. Develop a mitigation strategy for one of them.
  5. How might we better balance the needs of customers with business constraints throughout the Double Diamond process? Action: Create a simple decision-making framework that weighs customer needs, business goals, and technical feasibility for use in the convergent phases of your next project.
  6. In what ways could we make our ‘Develop’ phase more creative and inclusive of diverse perspectives? Action: For your next ideation session, invite three people from outside your usual team to participate. Reflect on how this changes the ideas generated.
  7. How can we improve our prototyping and testing processes in the ‘Deliver’ phase? Action: Experiment with a new prototyping technique in your next project. This could be anything from role-playing a service to creating a digital simulation.
  8. What metrics could we use to measure the effectiveness of our implementation of the Double Diamond approach? Action: Develop a simple set of metrics to track both the process (e.g., number of ideas generated, diversity of customers engaged) and outcomes (e.g., customer satisfaction, business impact) of your next Double Diamond project.

By thoughtfully considering these questions and engaging with the action prompts, you can develop a more nuanced and effective approach to implementing the Double Diamond model in your organisation.

Conclusion

The Double Diamond approach offers a powerful framework for navigating the complex terrain of problem-solving and innovation. By providing a clear structure that balances expansive exploration with focused execution, it enables teams to tackle challenges more effectively and develop solutions that truly resonate with customers.

One of the key strengths of this model is its emphasis on thoroughly understanding and defining the problem before jumping to solutions. This can be transformative for organisations that tend to rush to implementation without fully grasping the underlying issues. By dedicating equal effort to exploring the problem space and the solution space, teams can ensure they’re solving the right problems in the most effective ways.

As you implement the Double Diamond approach in your projects and organisations, remember that it’s a flexible framework, not a rigid process. Adapt it to your specific context, and don’t be afraid to iterate and loop back to earlier phases as new insights emerge. The power of the model lies not just in its structure, but in the mindset it encourages – one of curiosity, empathy, and iterative learning.

Embrace the tension between divergent and convergent thinking that the model embodies. Create space for wild ideas and broad exploration, but also develop the discipline to synthesize, evaluate, and refine. Foster a culture where both creativity and critical thinking are valued and nurtured.

Remember that the Double Diamond is as much a communication tool as it is a process model. Use it to align stakeholders, explain your approach, and create a shared understanding of the design process. This can be particularly valuable when working with cross-functional teams or explaining design methodologies to non-designers.

By mastering the Double Diamond approach, you’ll enhance your team’s ability to tackle complex challenges, innovate effectively, and create solutions that drive real impact. Whether you’re redesigning products, services, or entire systems, this model provides a clear path forward while maintaining the flexibility needed to navigate the uncertainties inherent in any creative process.

In a world of increasing complexity and rapid change, the Double Diamond offers a beacon of clarity and a roadmap for innovation. Embrace it, adapt it, and use it to transform the way you approach problem-solving and design in your organisation.