Design Methods

We apply human-centered design. The first three plays of the Digital Service Playbook nicely summarize what that entails:

• Understand what people need
• Address the whole experience, from start to finish
• Make it simple and intuitive

For the most part, we want to apply good practice from the commercial and government worlds. After all, important government services should have design on par with apps for banking, entertainment, or other less impactful fields.

Design in Government is Special

In many commercial or startup contexts, we can target specific customers and desired outcomes. In government services, we cannot strategically chose to not serve certain customer sets. For example, it may be reasonable for a mobile game startup to target only Apple or Android. For a government service that people depend on, we cannot be selective about who we serve. The stakes are higher - with potentially life-changing benefits on the line.

Design Process

There isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach to human-centered product design. Our work is grounded in five core phases: Discover, Define, Design, Deliver and Iterate.

These phases aren’t strictly linear — we move between them as needed, expanding and refining our thinking over time. Think of it like searching for a campsite in a forest. You start by exploring broadly—walking different paths, comparing terrain, and taking in multiple options (diverging). Then you narrow your focus to choose the spot that best meets your needs (converging).

But it doesn’t stop there. Once you’ve chosen a site, you keep adjusting—clearing space, repositioning your tent, or even moving if something isn’t quite right.

That same rhythm of exploring and refining continues throughout the design process as you learn more and move toward the best solution.