My process
How I go from a problem to a tested design, step by step.
This is the order I follow, with Libretto as the example.
Research
I start with interviews to find the problem, then use usability tests to check the design. For Libretto I interviewed 5 people. Then I tested a lo-fi prototype with 5 people, and the hi-fi prototype in 4 usability sessions.
Define
Personas, problem statements and clear priorities. Libretto has two personas: Anne, the one I designed for first, and Pablo.
Design
From paper sketches to a lo-fi prototype, then a Figma prototype. I check brand and general guidelines (Material Design 3 for this project).
Test and iterate
I observe, count what repeats, and change what matters most. One person's comment is not a pattern, so I use counts, like 3 of 4. A change made after testing is "addressed in the design" until a validation round confirms it.
The usability sessions were on a desktop screen-share with friends and colleagues, none a confirmed parent, so I read the results as signals, not verdicts. Libretto is still waiting for its validation round.
After a session
The recording is transcribed, and the transcript wins over my own notes. Then I log what happened and look for what repeats.