Obtain Requirements

Especially in the starting phase of your design flow, it is all about getting an understanding of what the client is looking for. The client often does not know eighter. It’s part of the design flow, to find out. The result of this process is the green design element: design requirements.
In this design activity you define how and where you will get the necessary knowledge. It is often overlooked to do this in a systematic way. Make a plan. Involve the people that have the knowledge (stakeholders, users).
In practice the Design Requirements (result/green) will keep evolving during your design flow. It is only necessary to plan the orange ‘Obtain Requirements’ element where you really plan an activity that is focused on improving the Design Requirements.

What if I don’t Obtain Requirements in a planned manner?
Being on the same page with the client and the team of what challenge you are looking at is essential. Just having a chat with the client won’t do. Effective planning on how to find the necessary knowledge – using approved methods – will. Never forget that the design flow is a journey together with the client/ stakeholder(s) and users.

Where in the Design Flow?
Emphasis on the beginning of the design flow, normally. Often you don’t know who your users will be in the beginning. Once you know, you can start involving them, and obtain requirements that go with their wishes and properties.

Which method to use?
This depends really of the context and is influenced by the type of Design Requirements you are working with.