This phase sets the tone for the entire project. All of the following are imperative to a successful project, within this phase: competitive analysis, demographic research, brand study, wireframing, prototyping and benchmarking. Typically this phase can and should take just as long as the rest of the process combined
This phase involves examining the needs of the end users and of the business. Coming up with innovative solutions to address those needs. During this stage, concepts are established for brand interpretation.
In this phase there's interactive design, information architecture, visual design and content to be worked through in detail. The result of each cycle feeds into and refines the next, ensuring that the final user experience is simple and successful.
The development team often needs quick interactive solutions when they encounter unexpected technical constraints. There's also accessibility checks and beta-testing, and a final usability test of the working product.
Once a project is deployed, measurement needs to take place to constantly analyze the performance of the final product. Further variable testing may be required to ensure you're offering the best possible user experience.