Double Diamond Or Waterfall: Methodology Crossover

Methodologies provide the foundation with which professionals can do excellent work. They articulate purpose and ensure deadlines are met with expected levels of quality. These principles vary from company to company and person to person. Those differences can lead to heated disagreements. Clashing perspectives find themselves on the same forums. As a content writer, this piqued my interest. Writing is a creative process. Sure, there are some procedural aspects people can adhere to. This can include outline usage, multiple copies, and research tendencies. However, the writing process will differ for everyone within their creative context.

I've surveyed the content landscape for tech companies. I keep seeing specific buzzwords pop up. Common examples include Agile, Double Diamond, and Waterfall. These terms can apply to different products or departments. Yet, there always seems to be discussion around ideologies and their related processes. Which led to this question. What if a content writer tries to use one of those methodologies? What would that look like? Is it even worth doing?

Professionals oftentimes fancy themselves at the forefront of innovation in their respective fields. This mindset exists even though idea dissemination is widespread. Education through osmosis always occurs. In a simple example, several architectural and construction principles apply to writing code. This sort of crossover interests me. Are there other methodologies out there that tech companies could use? How do we embrace our expertise while using the genius of others? This paradigm needs further exploration. To prove the promise of cross-cultural dissemination, I'll apply the Double Diamond thought process to my writing. Can professionals use these principles in two completely different worlds, writing and design? What other possibilities in this virtual space must deserve appreciation?

Double Diamond: What is it?

The Double Diamond is a design process utilized due to its efficiency and creativity. There are four steps in this process. Discover, define, develop, and deliver. The process goes as you would expect. First, you must discover a problem. Once it's found, you must define the problem. Then it comes time to develop specific solutions for that problem. Finally, you deliver viable solutions for the problem. There are intricacies intertwined with the more mundane steps. But, in its simplest form, this is the Double Diamond thought process. Framing the problem set and using this method allows for creative results. There are very few inhibitors within the process. This leads to innovative solutions as problem-solvers combine forces to resolve the issue. The process requires collaboration. It optimizes a team's ability to work together towards a common goal. Now that you have a basic understanding of the process. Let's start going down the rabbit hole of applying it to writing. Are the steps in place practical when creating content? What parts need to be included to help create good content? Are there other professions that could benefit from the Double Diamond thought process? These questions need answers, so let's dive in.

A Double Diamond Article: How would this process work?

Collaboration is a vital component of the Double Diamond thought process. Now, articles usually only have one author. However, this process could be beneficial in a scenario with many contributing authors. The writers need to have a solid base of communication, then work together with this approach.

Step One: Discover

This aspect of the Double Diamond thought process is a part of many writing processes. There's a decent overlap here. The discovery part of the equation references brainstorming in a writing context. There's usually an accompanying brainstorming session for any article, blog, or story. Writers use many variables to determine what is worth writing about. SEO, trending topics, and personal passions all influence an article's content. Either way, this discovery process would enable the creation of quality content. We're off to a good start.

Step Two: Define

This part of the Double Diamond process mirrors most writers' process of choosing a topic. This is where authors would make that final determination. Here writers would hone in on major talking points. They determine what issues need specific paragraphs. Only then can final decisions be made on the tone of the content. By the end of this step they'll pick a topic. This is another checkmark as we look into the viability of applying this process to writing.

Step Three: Develop

In this part of the Double Diamond process, specific authors use an outline. Here idea creation is essential regarding the contributing details of the overarching topic. Writers would already know what they want to write about. Now, it's about determining what aspects of the issue should be addressed. This part of the process can become individualistic. Specific ideas may seem more viable than others. Developing plot points, the story flow, and what personalities should be included are all part of the development section.

Step Four: Deliver

And here we are, the final stop. This is where the rubber hits the road, and the writing begins. The writers would've collaborated in idea creation, outline management, and detail-oriented planning. Those three steps culminate in this final section, delivery. The Double Diamond thought process is about product delivery. Here the writers will work to create publication-ready content. Delivery is the final step, no matter the type of content or the platform it's going on. Authors can now buckle down, use the previous parts of this process, and begin creating a high-quality product (article). We've created the foundation. Now it's a matter of execution.

Double Diamond Or Not, New Methodologies Must Be Sought After

It seems obvious now. The Double Diamond thought process could apply to content creation. Will I use it in the future? Maybe. It might've been the missing piece I needed to elevate my writing. It just needs more experimentation, and that's the main takeaway here. I wouldn't have ever known Double Diamond would be perfect for writing unless I gave it a shot. I learned its utility because I was doing research, found this methodology, and applied it to my work. This is why we, as professionals, should seek out novel concepts. There could be a well-known thought process you could apply to your work. Those possibilities will only be clear if we strive for new frontiers. We should broaden our horizons. Let's try to move forward and embrace the ideologies of other professions. The genius of the human race means innovation is always possible. You just need to look for it.