18F

18F-Design Principles

Design principles guide product development decisions. In this 2-hour exercise, teams create memorable, actionable statements like "Earn people's trust." Good principles guide choices but apply broadly. Teams create principles, test them against scenarios, and prioritize them. They review drafts against past decisions to ensure alignment. The result? A decision-making framework that boosts consistency and speeds up alignment.

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Duration
2 hours
Group Size
4-8
Category
18F
Difficulty
Easy
Give the team a shared reference for making decisions. Design principles should be project-specific, not general truths. They help teams decline proposals or generate new ideas.

  • Defined design principles.

  • Guiding criteria for decisions.

  • Consistent design approach.

For inspiration, review the 18F Design Principles Guide. Consider how principles might conflict and how to resolve those conflicts. Be prepared for teams to struggle with writing actionable principles; provide examples and iterate. Government considerations: No PRA implications; no information collected from the public.

  1. Gather key terms from internal documents and kickoff activities.

  2. List important terms for customers based on existing research.

  3. Cluster similar terms on a whiteboard. Name each cluster.

  4. Ask the team to add, change, or edit concepts.

  5. Create three to five principles. Support each with evidence from research.

  6. Share the principles with the team and refer to them when making decisions.

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For Facilitators

  • Review participant profiles and expectations
  • Prepare all materials and supplies
  • Test technology and room setup

For Participants

  • Complete pre-session survey
  • Review background materials
  • Prepare examples or case studies

Unlock Pre-Work Requirements

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  • Examples of good and bad design.

  • Sticky notes.

  • Markers.

  • Principle templates.

Unlock Materials Required

Create a free account to access step-by-step instructions, agendas, and resources for all activities.

Design Principles FTW
Collection of design principles from leading companies.
NNGroup - Design Principles Guide
How to create and use design principles effectively.

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