Duration

45-60 minutes

Objective

Test your design principles against real scenarios to ensure they provide clear, actionable guidance for decision-making.

Materials Needed

• Printed copies of draft principles

• Scenario cards (prepared in advance)

• Decision worksheets

• Dot stickers for voting

• Timer

Setup

1. Prepare 3-5 realistic design scenarios that represent common challenges your team faces

2. Create a worksheet with columns for each principle and rows for each scenario

3. Divide participants into small groups of 3-4 people (ideally cross-functional)

Exercise Steps

01 Introduction (5 minutes)

• Explain that good principles should guide consistent decisions

• Review the draft principles with the group

• Explain the scoring system (1-5 scale where 5 = very helpful in guiding decisions)

02 Scenario Testing (30 minutes)

For each scenario:

1. Read the scenario aloud to all groups

2. Each group discusses how each principle would guide decisions in this scenario

3. Groups rate each principle's helpfulness on a 1-5 scale

4. Groups document specific guidance each principle provides

5. Note any conflicts between principles or areas where guidance is unclear

6. Move to next scenario after 6-8 minutes

04 Group Discussion (15 minutes)

• Each group shares their highest and lowest scoring principles

• Identify principles that consistently provided clear guidance

• Discuss principles that were ambiguous or unhelpful

• Note where principles conflicted with each other

• Collect suggestions for improving lower-scoring principles

04 Refinement Planning (10 minutes)

• Prioritize 1-3 principles needing most improvement

• Brainstorm specific language changes that would improve clarity

• Identify gaps where new principles might be needed

• Assign responsibilities for refinement

Sample Scenario Card

Scenario: Mobile App Navigation Redesign

Your team is redesigning the navigation for your mobile app. User research shows

that users struggle to find key features, but your app has many important functions

that need to be accessible. Marketing wants to highlight new premium features,

while the product team prioritizes frequently used functions.

Design challenge: How would you approach this navigation redesign, and what

would guide your decision-making process?

Expected Outcomes

• Evidence-based assessment of each principle's practical utility

• Clear understanding of which principles need refinement

• Documentation of how principles apply to common scenarios

• Improved language for ambiguous principles

• Greater team alignment on how to apply principles in practice

This exercise transforms abstract principles into practical decision-making tools, ensuring they provide real value to your design process.