What is
strategic design?
I thought you’d never ask.
explain it, already.
This is my personal definition, don’t quote me on this.
Strategic design, often used interchangeably with service design user experience or design thinking, adapts methods from fields like graphic and product design to industries such as business, management, or public policy.
This human-centered approach focuses on understanding user needs and crafting innovative solutions to complex challenges.
Ironically, if you ask a room of strategic designers to define their exact process phases, they might spend the entire day debating it.
what can you do in practice?
Well, I did make a collection of a few examples, but if you want a more top-level overview, here are some of the techniques that I’ve used in the past:
Qualitative research: Sometimes, staring at a spreadsheet of user clicks isn’t enough to understand true user needs. Tools like interviews and user diaries help uncover insights by reading between the lines.
Workshop moderation: Meetings often stall decision-making. Bringing stakeholders together in a focused, interactive session can spark creativity and drive alignment.
Visualization: The ability to quickly visualize insights is invaluable when turning ideas into tangible solutions. Tools like moodboards, blueprints and product renders tap into how our brains process images, helping to convey abstract concepts effectively.
Forecasting. Changes in user behavior, technology, and industry dynamics can be anticipated through scenarios and trend analysis to guide strategic decision-making.
From Theory to Practice
Jump ahead to a few examples I've handpicked to give you a clear sense of what strategic design looks like in action.