‘Framing’ is the ability to recognise the type of issue in hand and structure it in a way that allows you to try alternative ideas to arrive at a solution. If one idea doesn’t work, try another. Framing is all about applying different approaches to describe the problem and applying potential solutions in different ways – it often starts with the question ‘what if…?’.

This framing technique works where there is a clear sense of what needs to be achieved. It means thinking about:

• how people are going to use the things you plan to make
• how you will create value and, critically, for whom.

Thinking like a designer is an excellent way to think about the future. While you retain a view of the value you want to achieve, during exploratory phases this means defining clearly what the real nature of the underlying problem is. Only once this is agreed does it make sense to move onto alternative possible solutions.

For each possible solution, a sense check is used to demonstrate how each different frame may impact on the desired outcome. The UK Design Council has formalised this in its ‘double diamond’ process (Figure 4), which identifies four distinct phases: discover, define, develop and deliver.

• Discover: this phase is intended to provide more insight into the problem or challenge being addressed. Hence this opens up thinking.
• Define: in this phase the intention is to focus upon specific areas to identify priorities, test assumptions and feasibility
• Develop: once more, thinking is broadened out to highlight all potential solutions, prototypes and concepts that can be tested
• Deliver: in this phase, evaluation of alternatives is designed to filter down to solutions that will be finalised and produced.

Figure 4 Double Diamond model. (Design Council Double Diamond, created in 2004).