The Double Diamond Model: In Pursuit of Simplicity and Flexibility

Abstract

This chapter considers the foundations and relevance of the Double Diamond model fifteen years after it was first published. It draws from a lecture presented by Jonathan Ball at EIMAD in 2020. The first part of the text is devoted to the history of understanding and describing how designers work. The emphasis is on the increasing complexity of design problems, requiring designers to work with people who are unfamiliar with the design process. It goes on to describe the key phases of the Double Diamond model and comments on how they relate to universal characteristics of designers’ ways of working and their thinking styles. The final section looks at different ways of working with the model, adapting it to current design challenges.

The title of this article is based on a presentation which Jonathan Ball gave in May 2020 for 7th EIMAD, Castelo Branco, Portugal.

Illustrations by David Townson, What Could Be.