Definición RápidaWhat Is Design Project Management?
Imagine you are a movie director. You do not just worry about making the cinematography beautiful or the actors performing well. You are responsible for everything: from the initial script (the strategy), the shooting schedule (the project plan), managing the team and the budget, to post-production and the premiere. You make sure all the pieces move in a coordinated way to deliver the movie on time and within budget.
Design project management is very similar. A senior designer or a lead often takes on this role, going beyond design execution to orchestrate the entire process.
Why Is It Important?
- Brings predictability: A well-managed project has a clear plan, which reduces uncertainty and stress for the team and stakeholders.
- Improves communication: Ensures everyone knows what is being done, why it is being done, and when it is expected to be ready.
- Optimizes resources: Helps assign the right people to the right tasks without wasting time or money.
- Increases the chances of success: A good management process does not guarantee a good design outcome, but a bad process almost always guarantees a bad one.
Phases of a Design Project
A typical design project follows these phases:
Phase 0: Definition and Scope (The Script)
- Objective: Understand the business and user problem. What are we trying to solve and why?
- Activities: Stakeholder meetings, data review, creation of a [[UX Strategy Document]] or a project “brief.”
- Key Deliverable: A project plan that defines objectives, scope, timeline, team, and roles.
Phase 1: Research and Discovery (Pre-production)
- Objective: Empathize with users and understand their context in depth.
- Activities: [[User Research Activities|User research]] (interviews, surveys), [[Competitive Analysis|competitive analysis]].
- Key Deliverable: [[Personas]], [[Customer Journey Maps]].
Phase 2: Ideation and Design (Filming)
- Objective: Explore solutions and define the experience and interface.
- Activities: [[Strategic Workshops|Ideation workshops]], creation of [[User Flows]], [[Wireframes]], [[Mockups]], and [[Prototypes]].
- Key Deliverable: A high-fidelity prototype ready to be tested.
Phase 3: Testing and Validation (Test Screenings)
- Objective: Validate the solution with real users before building it.
- Activities: [[Usability Testing]].
- Key Deliverable: A report with findings and improvement recommendations.
Phase 4: Delivery and Support (Premiere and Post-production)
- Objective: Deliver the final designs to developers and support them during implementation.
- Activities: Prepare files for “handoff,” create a specifications document, conduct design QA (Quality Assurance) sessions.
- Key Deliverable: A Figma link with everything organized and specified.
Mentor Tips
- Over-communication is your best ally: It is better to communicate too much than too little. Keep everyone informed with weekly summaries or project status meetings.
- Clearly define “what done means” (Definition of Done): Make sure both you and your stakeholders have the same idea of what is expected at the end of each phase.
- Anticipate risks: What could go wrong? What happens if the key stakeholder goes on vacation? Or if research reveals that the problem is something else? Have a plan B.
- Use a management tool, but do not let it dominate you: Tools like Jira, Asana, or Trello are useful for visualizing work, but they are not a substitute for proactive communication and planning.
Resources and Tools
- Books:
- Making of a Manager by Julie Zhuo: Although it is about people management, it has great insights on project management.
- Articles:
- A Step-by-Step Guide to UX Project Management - UXPin Blog
- Management Tools:
- Asana, Trello, Jira, Notion.