Process is this:

1. Sign Contract
2. Get money (most important step)
3. Do work
4. Get remaining money (second most important step)

My process:

1. Gather as much information as possible about the market, users, competition, existing products etc. and simply become an expert on this field "over night". I use my app Memex for this.
2. Write specification outline using Paper (similar to this thing) and bullet list (compile in my head)
3. Design some rough mockups in Keynote
4. Prototype using Framer or Xcode
5. Sketch it
6. Implement it

Re-iterate steps 3. and 4. until happy.

Depends on the project.

I've worked on everything from simple business-card websites, to webshops, to e-commerce platforms running a multitude of shops, to management apps, to data-exchange software...

The basics though include a ton of talking to your client and possibly the target audience, to really get to understand the product/service and the problems it solves. That way you can address those with the features you build in the software or the message you try to put across with your site.

As soon as you've got all the information: SIT ON IT FOR A WHILE.

John Cleese said this once in a talk; you need TIME for creativity.

So spend time with the issue. Don't even force it. Just think about it a bit, don't think about it a bit, then think about it some more. Write notes. Draw silly boxes in the shape of interfaces.

Sit on it some more.

Then use whatever tools that fit the (scale of the) project to mock up your design or prototype. Find the proper tools to build it too. Then decide whether it requires designs to be done separately, or if you can build it outright yourself. Or perhaps you want your developers to build it off of some loose sketches, and apply some design sauce afterwards.

There's many a road that leads to Rome!

Even though I used to read a lot about processes, until now the projects I was taking on were a mess. So I decide that from now on I will follow this process that I put together using what I thought was the most necessary, fast and productive.

1. Discovery a. Collect information (questionnaire for the client) b. Define problem(s) c. Set up goals d. Define Personas

2. User experience a. Storyframe (https://uxdesign.cc/what-is-storyframing-21cd12dfe701#.910k0baqz) b. Sitemap c. Wireframes d. Test Wireframes solutions

3. Design a. UI Design b. Motion UI

4. Handoff a. Style Guide b. Clickable Prototype (Invision) c. Assets (Invision) d. Specs

A great question, that is usually overlooked.

It definitely depends on the project/client, but all of us have a set "method to our madness".

1. The way I end each client meeting is by making sure that I've gotten enough information without being inundated (I jot notes down on https://vavingo.com)
2. I come back to the office and write down any quick inspirational thoughts (sometimes illogical, random)
3. I let it sleep for at least a day / see which thoughts from the previous day stick & makes sense
4. Research client's industry (business wise)
5. Research creative directions in the industry / maybe make a mood-board / try to emulate an idea / look for styles/directions
6. Write/Sketch/Think ideas
7. Do the actual work (draw, photoshop, illus)
8. Let it sleep again
9. Finish up and select one direction to present
10. Present to client
11. Finalize based on feedback
12. Send/Email/Message to client (usually no presentation on premise)
13. Deliver the final version

Earlier in my career I would tend to talk way to much in the kick-off meeting about possible outcomes, right there and then. I don't do that anymore, because you can't possibly know (not yet) what needs to get done & you don't have to show that you're capable (the reason I would babble in the early days). The client has picked you already (considering the project is a go).

From idea to product https://jobandtalent.design/from-idea-to-product-designing-jobandtalent-89b5a6e40de9#.1o6awg1c4

This is such an important topic. I am not satisfied with:

• the number of answers
• the seriousness of some answers
• the lack of a design process amongst peers

So I must take this upon myself and provide some guidance. To be continued.

It varies. The most important thing for me though is defining constraints. Platform constraints; user constraints; business constraints... etc.

Others have mentioned research and discovery but I would consider that to be the first thing I do after starting a project not before it.

And opening up sketch is generally one of the very last steps in a project.