Frameworks for innovation and product success | UX Collective

Frameworks to get you started

With so many frameworks to choose from, these particular well-known practices can help structure a process, spark innovation, and stimulate cross-team collaboration…

Double Diamond

Explore issues more widely or deeply to achieve innovation

A visual representation of the Double Diamond framework which includes stages in discover, define, develop, and deliver

The Double Diamond is a divergence and convergence model that was proposed in 1996 by Hungarian-American linguist Béla H. Bánáthy. Fast-forward to 2005, the British Design Council popularised it as a framework for innovation to help designers and non-designers to tackle problems. As the name suggests, the framework is structured as two separate diamonds, each containing several principles:

The universally accepted practice uses different work principles – collaboration, creative thinking and refinement of ideas. Each of them allows you to identify where you currently are in the product development cycle, as well as to iterate solutions until the problem is solved.

Design Thinking

Create rapid solutions for problems within five different phases

A visual representation of Design Thinking which includes stages in empathise, define, ideate, prototype, and test

Design Thinking is an iterative and non-linear solution-based process of solving problems. It was introduced by Nobel Prize laureate Herbert Simon in The Sciences of the Artificial in 1969. Since then, some of the world’s leading brands, such as Google, Apple, and Samsung, have adopted the framework for innovating solutions to meet specific user needs.

Design Thinking contains several phases which can be used in any order:

The Design Thinking phases can be viewed as an overview of principles that contribute to an innovative project and shouldn’t be necessarily sequential. You may visit any of the phases at any time: for example, iterate your prototype based on feedback from testing.

Hook Model

Design for long-term behaviours and habit-forming products

A visual representation of the Hook Model, which includes stages in trigger, action, variable reward, and investment

Created by consumer psychology expert, Nir Eyal, the Hook Model teaches us how we can change behaviours in an ethical and useful way for people. Whether we’re looking to create or break habits, the Hook Model is a fascinating framework for behavioural change.

The goal of the Hook Model is to create a habit-forming technology that provides some sort of relief. By creating a source of alleviation will drive continued use of the product or service, and ultimately increase the customer lifetime value (CLV).

To create a habit-forming product using the Hook Model, we can design for four critical phases:

When users go through all four phases of the Hook Model, they will begin to associate the product or service as the source of relief. And that is when the habit is formed.

Learn more about using the Hook Model for creating habit-forming products.

Other frameworks to explore

In addition to the Double Diamond, Design Thinking, Hook frameworks, here are some more popular practices to consider…