1. Start with the Basics: What’s Worth Building?

Before defining pixels and patterns, align on purpose.

• What is worth doing?
• What are we creating?
• What value does it provide — and to whom?

If your design efforts aren’t tied to real impact — whether for users or the business — it’s easy to fall into the trap of designing for design’s sake. A clear definition of value sets the foundation for everything that follows.

2. Understand User Needs: Design Begins with Empathy

The success of any product hinges on its users. We can’t design in isolation — we must understand the human context behind the screen.

• Who are your users?
• What do they expect from the product?
• Why do those needs matter to them?

Great UX isn’t about giving users everything — it’s about giving them what matters most in the way they expect. That means conducting user research, mapping journeys, and listening deeply.

3. Bring in the Business Lens: Aligning with Stakeholders

User needs are only one side of the equation. Business objectives and constraints shape what’s possible.

• What are the business goals?
• Is the focus on generating revenue, cutting costs, or increasing engagement?
• How does the business define and measure success?
• Who are your client’s competitors, and what are they doing well (or poorly)?

As designers, we are problem solvers. But to solve the right problems, we need to understand both the user context and the business context.

4. Ask the Right Discovery Questions

Discovery is where strategy is born. Before you ideate, validate your direction with the right questions:

• Who are your customers or users?
• Why will they visit, use, or buy from you?
• What should your product or website actually accomplish?
• How will success be measured — conversion, retention, NPS, something else?
• What technology is already in place, and what constraints or decisions are non-negotiable?
• How does this initiative tie into the broader business strategy?

The answers will influence everything from your information architecture to your design language.

5. Analyze the Industry: Respect the Context

Every industry comes with its own ecosystem — rules, expectations, and user behavior patterns.

Key things to consider:

• Best practices and regulations specific to the sector (e.g., accessibility, data privacy).
• Preconceptions or user mental models within the industry.
• Tone of voice, design aesthetics, and terminology users are used to.
• The ideal balance of show vs. tell — do users expect more visual storytelling or detailed specs?

Design doesn’t exist in a vacuum. Understanding the industry’s norms helps you build credibility while still leaving space to innovate.

6. Study the Competition: Learn, Then Differentiate

Your users are likely already using competing solutions. Learning from them is smart — not stealing, but benchmarking.

There are two kinds of competition:

• Direct competitors: Offering the same core services or products.
• Indirect competitors: Meeting the same user needs but in different ways or through different business models.

Key questions:

• Who are your top 3–5 competitors?
• How does your business model differ from theirs?
• What draws users to your competitors’ sites or products?
• How will you position yourself differently — and better?

Analyzing the competition gives you insight into user expectations, gaps in the market, and areas for innovation.

Final Thoughts: Strategy First,
Design Next

Good UI/UX design doesn’t begin in Figma or Sketch. It begins with curiosity. With understanding. With asking the hard (and often overlooked) questions that ensure we’re not just building the thing right — but building the right thing.

So the next time you’re about to start a project, step back and ask:

• Who are we designing for?
• Why would they care?
• And how will we know we’ve succeeded?

Design is not decoration. It’s direction. Let’s make it intentional.