A Simple Framework for Stronger, Smarter Design Projects

23 June

Written By Kate Hopwood

Kate shares the three-part design process that keeps projects moving (and creativity flowing). Read on…

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CONTENTS

01. Discover: Ask Better Questions, Create Better Work

02. Design: Turn Insight into Impact

03. Deliver: Refine, Finalise, and Send to Sample

LET’S DIVE IN …

You know the moment.

A new brief lands—maybe via email, maybe in a quick meeting—and your brain starts ticking over with ideas before you’ve even opened the attachment.

It’s tempting to dive straight in.

But over the years, I’ve found that taking a beat, stepping back, and running every project through a simple three-part framework helps shape not just the outcome, but the whole process.

From that first spark of inspiration to the final sample in hand—this is how I keep things focused, collaborative, and moving forward.

I like to break things into threes. It keeps things memorable, focused, and—most importantly—actionable.

So when you’re handed a new brief or kicking off a fresh project, think about your process in three clear phases:

1. Discover

2. Design

3. Deliver

Let’s break them down.

01. Discover: Ask Better Questions, Create Better Work

This is where every strong design process begins. The Discover phase is about asking the right questions up front—so every decision you make moving forward is grounded in insight, not guesswork. Designers are natural fact-finders, and this step is where your strategic brain gets to shine.

QUESTIONS TO ASK:

Who is the target customer?
How does this fit into the existing range? Is it part of a story?
What has worked well in the past—and why?
What hasn’t—and what can we learn from that?
Is this a core product or something trend-driven?
What’s the expected lifecycle?
Where will it be sold? (Which channel? Which market?)
How and where will it be produced?
Any constraints or lead time issues?
What’s the target price point?

The quality of your questions will directly impact the quality of your outcome. Nail this, and the rest of the process becomes clearer, more focused, and infinitely more efficient.

NOTE:

Never accept a brief with an unworkable timeline—especially if it clashes with your workload, leave, or available capacity. Communicate proactively and clearly with your key stakeholders from the start.

02. Design: Turn Insight Into Impact

Now comes the fun part. With your discoveries in hand, you’re ready to move into Design—the creative core of your process. But before you jump in, press pause. This is the moment to clarify expectations with your stakeholder or team.

CLARIFY:

What’s the deadline for concept development?
How much time do we have for this phase?
How many concepts would they like to see?
What format should the ideas be in—sketches, renders, or something else?
How will the review happen—email, in-person, online?
Do I have what I need? (Time, references, tools?)

Once you’ve got your guardrails in place, you can dive in creatively—with confidence.

BEGIN THE CREATIVE WORK:

Surround yourself with inspiration—gather widely.
Group it by theme, shape, mood, colour.
Pull from both lateral (unexpected) and literal (direct) sources.
Sketch, mock up, render—whatever gets the idea out of your head and into a form others can understand.
Complete any must-haves or requests that emerged in the discovery phase.

This is the Concepts phase of your design process: taking all those insights and turning them into 2–3 solid directions for review. Sometimes those concepts come from one strong idea explored a few different ways. Other times, you’ll develop totally distinct options. The goal here isn’t perfection—it’s exploration, ready for feedback.

REMINDER:

If the brief shifts or your resources change, always communicate early. Clear boundaries = smoother projects and stronger outcomes.

03. Deliver: Refine, Finalise, and Send to Sample

Once feedback is in and you’ve landed on a direction, you’ll shift into the Deliver phase—the place where concepts become final art, ready for production.

Before you start refining, circle back and confirm with your stakeholders.

CONFIRM:

How many refined concepts are needed?
What’s the deadline for this phase?
Do we have any buffer if changes arise?
How should this next round be shared? (Email? In-person?)
Once the final is approved, how much time is needed for final artwork?

This is your Refinement phase—where you narrow in on one or two promising concepts, polish them up, and prepare to lock in the direction. Think of it as honing rather than reinventing. Your job is to elevate the work with care and clarity.

Then comes Final Art: the last step before sampling. If it’s a solid item, you’ll need a tech drawing with precise measurements and all the necessary detail. If it’s a textile or graphic item, you’ll provide a specification sheet with the final print-ready art or construction notes—clear, annotated, and ready for the factory.

Don’t be surprised if you need to circle back. Briefs change. Materials shift. Costs creep. That’s all part of the process. But the stronger your Discover phase? The less you’ll need to backtrack later.

REMINDER:

Your ability to guide a project from discovery through to delivery isn’t just about getting things made—it’s what makes you a design leader.

By breaking your process into these three intentional phases—Discover, Design, Deliver—you create space to ask better questions, design with purpose, and deliver work that’s not only beautiful, but strategic. You bring clarity to the chaos. You keep projects on track. You build trust through transparency and direction.

And most of all—you create design work that truly works.

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