While I don't have a detailed recipe for approaching design challenges, the ingridients I always have at hand are an open mind, willingness to learn and collaborate, all generously seasoned with common sense.

My current work methodology is shaped by own experience, learned from books by the likes of Don Norman, Kim Goodwin and Alan Cooper and from all the amazing designers and engineers I'm fortunate to have worked with.

Think

I start with thinking. About the problem, it's impact, ways to approach it. I talk about it (if NDA allows) — with my collegaues, friends, parents, my wife. I try to "live" the problem. At this stage my main tools are pencil and paper — sketching and doodling keeps my brain going.

Understand

In the meantime, I gather as much information as possible. I do research, talk to people involved and affected, try to define the problem and understand why the world needs it fixed.

Collaborate

I've had very few projects where I worked alone. Even being a solo designer on a project, I'd bring people from all areas of expertise into design process. I learned the mantra of "always playable" while working in game industry, and try to stick to it whenever the project allows. A tangible, interactive prototype is a great way to bring users and stakeholders into design early, reduce handovers and keep expectations aligned.

Try

As soon as there is a concept, there must be a prototype. And as soon as there is a prototype, real learning begins.

Try again

Sometimes prototype is meant to be thrown away, sometimes it forms a basis for final implementation. In any case, this is when most of the design happens — iteration through iteration, until the solution looks safe to bet on.

Repeat

Design is never done! I always weigh the impact of any solution to decide what constitutes a 'good enough' state to ship in a particular case. Being an in-house designer for the most of my career, I have revisited and reiterated on almost all products and features I've designed.