The Double Diamond is a visual model of the design process made of 2 diamonds. Each diamond widens to explore possibilities and narrows to make decisions.
Discover: research the problem with the people affected by it
Define: turn research findings into a clear problem statement
Develop: generate and co-design possible solutions
Deliver: test solutions and refine what works
The first diamond focuses on the problem space. The second focuses on the solution space. Teams can move between phases when new evidence changes their understanding.
Use cases
The model is useful when teams need structure for complex problems involving research, multiple stakeholders, or several possible solutions.
New product or service: Explore user needs before committing to a solution.
Complex redesign: Investigate why an existing experience is failing instead of immediately redesigning it.
Cross-functional projects: Give research, design, and product teams a shared process for moving from problem discovery to testing.
How it's used in practice
Plan around phases: Define a goal and expected output for each phase.
Choose appropriate methods: Use interviews and field research in Discover, synthesis in Define, ideation and prototyping in Develop, and usability testing in Deliver.
Create decision points: Agree on what evidence is needed before moving from exploration to a narrower direction.
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Pro-tip: Keep the problem statement visible during Develop. Use it to check whether proposed ideas actually address the problem.
Challenges & limitations
Looks linear: The diagram can make the process appear more sequential than real projects are.
Can be excessive for small changes: Minor UI or content updates may not need the full process.
Limited post-launch guidance: Deliver focuses on testing and refining solutions but gives little detail about long-term measurement after release.
