Whether it’s designing a logo or solving a wicked problem, every creative process involves a similar process, although each profession has its own way of working. The double diamond process is a simple visual representation of a creative process. This double diamond can be applied to content creation (or curation). Regardless of the content type or format, it can help you structure the process into four distinct phases.
Double, what?
Is the double diamond just a fancy, new buzzword? Not really. Each creative process has its own challenges, and this methodology offers a simple solution to demystify this process. It was developed as a framework for innovation by the UK Design Council.
In general, the double diamond process consists of four phases:
- Discover
- Define
- Develop
- Deliver
It’s a way to create several possible ideas (divergent thinking) to refine and narrow these down to the best ideas (convergent thinking). It’s called double diamond because it can be represented by a (double) diamond shape. The visual representation indicates that the divergent and convergent phase happens twice. First, by defining the problem and second, by providing a solution. In the following, I’ll try to apply this model to content creation.
Discover
This phase marks the start of the creative process, where we (as creative people) try to open our eyes to new ideas and gather important insights for our “content journey”. This phase can be keyword research, clustering of ideas, or a brainstorming session within a team during content creation.
Define
The second phase is the definition phase, where the possible ideas from the previous phase are converged. In terms of content creation, the define phase should include a prioritisation of the content ideas. Data such as search volume, possible user intents and mappings to the user/buyers journey can be used to make sense of all the identified possibilities. The deliverable could be a short content brief.
Develop
During the third phase, concepts and drafts are created, tested and iterated. This might sound too ambitious for content creation, but in fact, it’s also important to include some trial and error to improve and refine content ideas. This phase could cover some user research or simple A/B-testing.
Deliver
This is the final phase where the resulting content is finalised, produced and delivered. This also includes the distribution of the content. So for your content, it’s time to rise and shine.
Make complicated things easy
Although the double diamond process for content creation is only outlined on the surface, it might guide the content creation process. It also perfectly fits agile methods and is a valuable tool to use in growth marketing centred around great content.
