Interrogate the brief

Don't assume those with the ask have done all the thinking for you

Assume nothing

Unless an assumption is a gateway for deeper learning

Locate the boundaries

How far can you take the brief to achieve great outcomes?

Know thy user!

A suitable and usable product experience, must informed by the users and their goals

Context is king

Understanding the flow and friction in people's pursuits is the key to crafting great experiences

Fart around, find out

Don't commit to a solution until many ideas are explored

More tech isn't always the answer

Just because you can, doesn't mean you should

(In)validate your ideas regularly

Design by subtraction

The more you can remove, the cleaner the experience

Eat Your Own Dog Food

If you can't stomach the experience chances are your users won't either

Cost ≠ Value

And Sunk Costs ≠ Value either!

Maintain your principles

Principles drive clearer outcomes avoid the swirl of opinion.