Design Process

A design process is the way creators move from an idea to something that makes sense for their audience. It’s not just one straight path, it’s a cycle of planning, creating, testing, and improving until the final product communicates clearly and feels complete. The Understand–Plan–Try–Reflect model from the course blog captures this idea well. Each stage requires a different mindset, and often, I loop back as new feedback from classmates appears.

In Challenge A: Comics
My design process started with brainstorming story ideas and sketching early layouts. I wanted the story to flow naturally and the visuals to match the simple message in each panel. This was part of the Understand and Plan phases, figuring out what I wanted readers to take away and how to guide their attention. As I built digital versions, I focused on keeping the design clean and simple by applying Mayer’s Coherence and Signalling Principles. After getting feedback from classmates, I moved into the Reflect phase, noticing where the pacing felt rushed or a panel lacked emotion. If I were to improve something, I’d test the comic with my target audience earlier. Something the blog connects to “trying and revising prototypes” instead of waiting until the end.

In Challenge B: Videos
For Challenge B, I will be following a similar process but adapting it for video and audio. I will start by defining my goal using Backward Design, as the blog suggests. I will decide what I want viewers to learn, then shape visuals and narration around that. I will plan by writing scripts and storyboards to organize how ideas unfold. While editing, I will use Mayer’s Dual Coding and Segmenting Principles to keep the video easy to follow and engaging. I will also move through the Try and Reflect stages by testing drafts, watching from the viewer’s perspective, and using peer feedback to refine timing, visuals, and narration.

Each cycle of planning, creating, and revising helps me think like a designer. It reminds me that learning materials are never final but are prototypes that evolve through understanding, feedback, and reflection.