here is the parallel. the design process mirrors the fundamental operations of mathematics.
it is a sequence for moving from unknown inputs to a validated output.
discover :: + (plus)
- action: gathering.
- logic: this stage is additive. you accumulate information—cognitive functions, user behaviors, contextual data. it is an expanding inventory of reality. the goal is to increase the sum of knowledge about the problem space. knowledgenew=knowledgeold+research
define :: - (minus)
- action: clarifying.
- logic: this stage is subtractive. you remove all the noise, assumptions, and irrelevant data gathered in the discover phase. you subtract everything that is not the core problem to isolate the essential friction. problemcore=knowledgetotal−noise
develop :: * (multiply)
- action: generating.
- logic: this stage is multiplicative. you take the single, clarified problem and generate multiple potential solutions. one core insight is multiplied into many divergent forms, prototypes, and pathways. solutionspotential=problemcore×design principles
deliver :: / (divide)
- action: validating.
- logic: this stage is divisional. you test the set of potential solutions against the reality of the user and the constraints of the system. you are dividing your potential solutions by the constraints of reality to find the one that fits. it is the final proof. solutionvalidated=user testing + constraintssolutionspotential
the symbolic equation of design:
the entire process is an operation:
(+ gather) → (- clarify) → ( generate) → (/ validate)*
it is a logical flow to create clarity from complexity.