Having observed two stages of work in high-functioning teams: discovery and definition I mixed the Lean Startup perspective with Double Diamond to approach Product Development as 2 loops, putting the team in an iterative mindset from the start.

The first loop is about exploring the problem and solution spaces. The time & cost of ideating and even starting over is far lower here - following the build/measure/learn principles of the Lean Startup in mind, wireframes that are “just high enough” in fidelity and easily “hallway tested” are key to moving on to the second loop.

The second loop is about uncovering all the details & defining the a best solution to get feedback from all stakeholders, which when combined with user testing may send you back to revisit parts of the design, or even kick you back to the first loop to explore a newly discovered space.

By framing product design in this way as two phases, project management partners know what to expect as the team goes through the foundational exploration loop. This gives defined space for iteration & exploration with predictable pivot points and the team is more engaged as a result.