---
type: Design Method
title: Senior Design Process
description: Convert a vague design request into a brief, direction, artifact, verification pass, and durable design contract.
tags: [method, brief, design-contract, senior-proxy]
---

# Purpose

Use this concept when the task starts from little context, when creating a new `DESIGN.md`, or when the user expects professional design judgment.

# Process

1. Define the problem before styling.
2. Identify user, business goal, primary task, constraints, platform, assets, and output format.
3. Build information architecture before visual detail.
4. Choose one design direction with a rationale.
5. Make the artifact or implementation.
6. Verify against branch quality gates.
7. Update the design contract with decisions, assumptions, open questions, and evidence.

# Priority Order

Use this order when priorities conflict:

1. Accessibility and legal/safety constraints.
2. User task completion.
3. Information clarity.
4. Consistency and system fit.
5. Responsive and production viability.
6. Brand expression.
7. Aesthetic decoration.

# Method Lenses

Use the smallest lens that clarifies the work:

- Design Thinking: empathize, define, ideate, prototype, test.
- Double Diamond: discover, define, develop, deliver.
- HCD/UCD: user task, user context, and usability evidence drive choices.
- Lean UX: make assumptions explicit, prototype quickly, verify early.
- Usability heuristics: system status, real-world language, consistency, prevention, recognition, recovery.

Do not narrate the method unless the user asked for process documentation. Let it shape the contract and design decisions.

# Evidence Sweep

Inspect available evidence before inventing a visual system:

- User prompt and constraints.
- Existing product copy.
- Routes, screens, components, CSS, tokens, or theme files.
- Screenshots or current UI.
- Brand assets, logos, images, icons, and fonts.
- Competitor or reference links if provided.
- Platform and framework conventions.

# Contract Output

When evidence is sufficient, write real first-pass decisions into `DESIGN.md`, not placeholders. Put uncertain but safe decisions under `Assumptions`; put unresolved future decisions under `Open Questions`.

# Citations

[1] Design Council, Framework for Innovation: https://www.designcouncil.org.uk/our-resources/framework-for-innovation/
[2] NN/g Usability Metrics: https://www.nngroup.com/articles/usability-metrics/
