← Вернуться на сайт

Double Diamond · Design Thinking · Innovation · PTOS

Double Diamond: A Forced Mode Switch for Product Innovation

Explaining the Double Diamond model as a powerful tool for managing design and innovation processes, which forces teams to expand and narrow their thinking at the right moments.

Double Diamond: A Forced Mode Switch for Product Innovation

In the world of product development, it's easy to get bogged down in the details of a solution as soon as a problem is formulated. Teams often 'collapse' into the Solution Space without giving themselves enough time to explore the Problem Space. The Double Diamond model is not just a pretty poster, but a powerful framework that acts as a forced mode switch, compelling the team to expand and narrow their thinking at the right moments.

Why is the Double Diamond Needed?

Without such a framework, teams often solve the wrong problems. Here's why:

  • 'Solution' is more pleasant than 'truth': Working on a solution provides a sense of control, of movement. The truth about an unclear problem can be unpleasant.
  • The brain loves explanations, not verification: It's easier to come up with a reason why 'we need to add X' than to prove that X will actually solve the problem.
  • Stakeholders pay for 'doing,' not for 'understanding': This is a reality one has to work with. The Double Diamond helps make the reality of the user and the data visible.

The Double Diamond is a defense against premature narrowing of focus. It ensures that you first dive deep into the problem and then find the optimal solution.

The Four Phases of the Double Diamond

The model consists of two 'diamonds,' each with phases of divergence and convergence:

First Diamond: Problem Exploration (Problem Space)

  1. Discover (Diverge):

    • Goal: To explore the problem as broadly as possible, gathering all possible facts, data, pains, and contexts. We don't evaluate, we just collect information.
    • How it looks in PTOS: This phase corresponds to collecting WHAT (the observable symptom), HOW (the problem's mechanism), and WHY (the business stake). We use tools like interviews, contextual inquiries, and data analysis.
    • Analogy: As if you're collecting all the pieces of a puzzle without trying to assemble them yet.

  2. Define (Converge):

    • Goal: To choose one, most important problem from all those found and clearly formulate it.
    • How it looks in PTOS: Based on the collected data, we choose one problem and formulate it as a Problem Statement—a short, stark description of the problem without a solution.
    • Analogy: You choose the most important part of the puzzle and focus on it.

Second Diamond: Solution Development (Solution Space)

  1. Develop (Diverge):

    • Goal: To generate as many solution options as possible for the defined problem. At this stage, ideas should not be criticized; the field of possibilities should be expanded as much as possible.
    • How it looks in PTOS: This is closer to the Validation and Experiments phases, where we generate solution hypotheses and look for ways to test them.
    • Analogy: You generate all possible ways to assemble the chosen part of the puzzle.

  2. Deliver (Converge):

    • Goal: To choose one, most optimal solution, test it, and bring it to implementation.
    • How it looks in PTOS: Corresponds to the Build, Launch, Evaluate, and Iterate phases. We build the solution, launch it, measure the effect, and make a decision to scale or change.
    • Analogy: You choose the best way to assemble and successfully complete the puzzle.

The Double Diamond as a Forced Mode Switch

The point of the Double Diamond is to prevent the team from 'collapsing into a solution' at the very first meeting. It disciplines the process:

  • First, expand your understanding of the problem (Discover).
  • Then, narrow it down to one clear formulation (Define).
  • Then, expand the solution options (Develop).
  • And only then, narrow down to a working release (Deliver).

By using the Double Diamond, teams not only create more relevant and effective products, but also significantly reduce the risks associated with developing unnecessary features. This helps to focus on the true needs of users and the business.