i kick things off with the creative brief, where I get clear on the project's purpose, goals, target audience, and deliverables. this means sitting down with stakeholders to really understand what they need, figuring out key messages and the tone I’m aiming for, and nailing down timelines and budgets. by the end, I have a solid creative brief that sets the stage for everything else.

next, I dive into market research. I gather all the info I can about the target market, competitors, and current trends. this involves talking to potential users through surveys, interviews, and focus groups, checking out what competitors are doing, and digging into industry reports. the result is a detailed market research report that gives me great insights into what users need and what’s happening in the market.

armed with that knowledge, I move on to initial concepts. This is the fun part where I brainstorm and come up with a bunch of design ideas. i sketch, create wireframes, and make low-fidelity prototypes, exploring different styles and directions. by the end, I have a variety of initial concepts ready to share.

then, I gather feedback on these initial concepts from stakeholders and potential users. i present my ideas, conduct user testing, and gather as much input as I can. i analyze the feedback to figure out what needs tweaking, and I come away with a list of insights to refine my designs.

with feedback in hand, I create a high-fidelity prototype. this is a detailed, interactive version that looks and feels like the final product. i refine my chosen concepts, design high-fidelity mockups, and make sure the prototype includes all key features. it’s almost ready!

in the final review, I thoroughly check the high-fidelity prototype to ensure it meets all the requirements and quality standards. i present it to stakeholders for their final approval, conduct usability testing, and make any last-minute adjustments.