The Interaction Design Process

Interaction Design is key all through the red parts of the process. But although this looks daunting, it needn't add up to huge amounts of time. For small projects useful research can be carried out in a few days. Problem definition and Capability Definition might be as little as a days work. Conceptual design might be another day. The detailed design will take a little longer, but will save you money as your developers can start working to a clear goal, reducing the amount of code which will have to be reworked as designs change during development.

Done properly Interaction Design reduces the risk of project failure, and can accelerate development. Although many managers in the software industry try to start the "real work" of coding as soon as possible, allowing some time for a good foundation is always a wise choice. It will save you money, time and your developers nerves!