Our Design Process

Three diverse people are collaborating, one holds a stack of papers, and another has their hands raised with a light bulb illustration, symbolizing ideas and teamwork.

Human-centered design (HCD) is a craft and discipline that applies a specific mindset and skillset to a creative problem-solving process, enabling the development of informed, sensitive, inclusive, purposeful, appealing, and innovative solutions. 

HCD involves actively engaging with people throughout all stages of design to uncover their lived experiences and contextual needs, enabling the development of informed, inclusive, purposeful, and innovative solutions. This approach prioritizes not only the functionality of outcomes but also their emotional resonance, aiming to create policies, processes, and services that are both effective and meaningfully tailored to the people they serve.

The design process at Catapult Design takes place in four key stages:

Align, Engage, Share, and Support.

While our four stages provide structure, the design journey is rarely linear. Insights emerge unexpectedly, timelines shift, and relationships evolve. That’s part of the process of change-making. Over time, we’ve seen that emotions like excitement, curiosity, doubt, and amazement aren’t just byproducts of the work, they also serve as signals which reveal where energy lives, where care is needed, and where transformation is possible.

These emotions can arise at any point in the process. Still, we’ve noticed recurring patterns—for example, excitement often sparks the beginning of a project, while doubt may surface during moments of decision-making. Your experience may look different—and that’s okay. If it does, we encourage you to reach out. We’re here to help you navigate the complexity, together.

Flowchart illustrating the process of engaging with emotions and experiences. It starts with aligning, then shares, supported by feelings like curiosity, concern, uncertainty, and delight, which lead to emotions such as excitement, fear, aspiration, amazement, disappointment, and doubt, and explores themes like intrigue, crisis, and exploration.
Three gold star-shaped sparkles against a white background.
A yellow sticky note featuring a drawn light bulb with a filament in the shape of a loop, and a small exclamation mark in the top right corner.
Four interlocking puzzle pieces in shades of yellow, orange, and beige, with the word 'ALIGN' in white in the center.

The Align Phase

Establish a common ground for moving forward

Goal

A large star-shaped badge with a metallic peach color.

To develop a shared understanding of the problem context with agreement on project parameters, including scope, roles, timelines, and deliverables with all stakeholders.

Potential Activities

We facilitate workshops and conversations with stakeholders to establish a shared vision for the project. We also conduct secondary research and collaborate with our partners to build a research plan.

Example Outputs

Project Brief outlines the project overview, including the plan, success metrics, and details for stakeholder alignment and project initiation.

Research Plan summarizes secondary research findings, key research questions and co-design activities to be facilitated in the Engage Phase.

A four-pointed star with a pinkish hue on a black background.

EMOTIONS THAT OFTEN ARISE IN THIS PHASE

A person is writing a signature on a white sheet of paper with a green pen. The background has the word 'Fear' and illustrations of a worried face and lightning bolts.
People raising their hands, holding a paper, and a light bulb icon on an orange paper, with a yellow background and the word 'Excitement' in large white letters.
A star-shaped medal with a copper-colored finish.
A digital illustration depicting two women of African descent with curly black hair, one with brown skin and the other with darker skin, engaging in a conversation or interaction against a yellow and orange abstract background with star-like shapes.
Digital illustration of a pickaxe striking a gold nugget, with sparkles around it.
Graphic with pink background and orange arrows pointing in multiple directions, with the word 'ENGAGE' in the center.
Graphic with pink background and orange arrows pointing in multiple directions, with the word 'ENGAGE' in the center.
A large peach-colored star with a black background.

The Engage Phase

Collectively define problems and identify solutions

Goal

To create solutions that are practical, enduring, and responsive to local needs, with community members affected by the issue contributing their expertise and collaborating as co-designers.

Potential Activities

We conduct research with community participants to re-frame problem areas from their perspectives, identify opportunities and co-create design strategies which we continuously test and refine with community input.

A star-shaped icon with a peach-colored fill and a black outline on a transparent background.

Example Outputs

Ecosystem Map shows the relationships and interactions between different stakeholders within the interconnected system.

Digital Research Platform with AI integration, offers advanced search and analysis features for documented data from research activities.

EMOTIONS THAT OFTEN ARISE IN THIS PHASE

A pinkish-orange four-pointed star on a black background.
A digital illustration of a woman with dark skin and an orange headwrap, dressed in green, with the word 'Curiosity' written across an orange background. The background also features abstract lines, shapes, and a sun or flower icon.
A person with curly hair, looking up, reaching out towards a mountain range with the word 'Uncertainty' in large white letters above. White birds are flying around, and a hand holding a pen is visible on the right side.
A digital illustration featuring a young woman with dark hair, smiling and looking to the side. The background is teal with fluid, abstract shapes, and the word 'Concern' is prominently displayed at the top.
A cartoon illustration of a person holding a potted plant with white flowers against an orange background with the word 'Delight' written at the top.
A teal speech bubble with the word 'SHARE' inside, pointing to the left.
A teal speech bubble with the word 'SHARE' inside, pointing to the left.
A four-pointed star shaped emblem in a peach color with a 3D appearance.

The Share Phase

Share our discoveries and insights

Goal

To enable a clear implementation roadmap for design recommendations, with comprehensive documentation to enable key stakeholders to understand, adopt, and advocate for the proposed solutions.

Potential Activities

We collaborate with the client and community to create implementation roadmaps and develop a communication strategy for broader outreach.

Pink star-shaped badge or medal with a black background.

Example Outputs

Audio-Visual Narratives illustrates key insights and stories from the design process in the community's voice.

Project Report documents the design outcomes which includes steps for implementation.

EMOTIONS THAT OFTEN ARISE IN THIS PHASE

Pink star-shaped emblem on a black background.
A cartoon illustration of a woman with curly hair, holding her hands up to her face with a surprised or amazed expression, against a yellow background with the word 'Amazement' overlaid.
A digital illustration of a man and woman exchanging a green heart with a sunburst design in the center. The background is teal and the word 'Doubt' is prominently displayed at the top.
A hand holding a pot with a blooming flower against an orange background with the word 'Delight' written at the top.
Black background with three yellow star shapes arranged vertically.
An illustration of two hands, one larger and one smaller, with the word 'SUPPORT' written across the palms. The larger hand is in a purple tone, and the smaller hand is in blue, symbolizing caregiving or assistance.
An illustration of two hands, one larger and one smaller, with the word 'SUPPORT' written across the palms. The larger hand is in a purple tone, and the smaller hand is in blue, symbolizing caregiving or assistance.

The Support Phase

Provide post-project support

Goal

A star-shaped badge with a bronze or copper-colored surface, four points, and a black circular border.

Foster enduring design partnerships among stakeholders that extend beyond the initial collaboration to ensure continued progress and long-term impact.

Potential Activities

We support client readiness with guidance for implementation of design solutions, facilitate reflection conversations to review and celebrate the project, and assess impact to guide future collaborations.

Example Outputs

Future Project Brief identifies potential next steps and opportunities for continued collaboration

Impact Report demonstrates the long-term effects and outcomes of the design work

EMOTIONS THAT OFTEN ARISE IN THIS PHASE

A pink, four-pointed star shape with sharp points, set against a black background.
A digital illustration featuring a woman with brown skin and dark hair, with the word 'Disappointment' in large white letters above her, set against a purple background with abstract shapes and gradients.
Diverse group of people celebrating achievement with raised hands, holding a paper, pencil, and lightbulb drawing on paper, set against a yellow background with stars and decorative elements.
Illustration of a person with dark skin and curly black hair, smiling and looking to the side, set against a yellow background with abstract white starburst shapes.
A four-pointed star with a peach color on a black background.
Abstract graphic with orange and yellow gradient geometric shapes and lines on a black background.

Explore different emotions

About ‘Design with Us’