Ambiguity is not an obstacle in design, it is a fundamental condition.

Nicola Wilson | 5 min read

Navigating Ambiguity in the Design Process

Ambiguity is not an obstacle in design, it is a fundamental condition of the work. Whether prioritising features in a new product, refining a journey for a new customer segment, or integrating emerging technologies like AI, uncertainty is ever-present. Design involves problem spaces where goals, constraints, and even users may not be fully defined at the outset.

In human-centred design, ambiguity is addressed through structured exploration. The designer’s role is to make sense of complexity using insight-driven methods to move from uncertainty to informed decision-making, an iterative process that builds clarity through synthesis.

After 15 years working across the double diamond, from discovery to delivery, I’ve learned to meet ambiguity with method and to help teams find momentum. The following methods illustrate how ambiguity can be transformed into direction through structured discovery, ideation, refinement, testing, and delivery, all essential for junior designers learning how to move from insight to action.

Discovery: Make the Unknown Visible

At the discovery stage, ambiguity is expected. This phase is about exploring what is not yet known, asking questions rather than providing answers, and replacing assumptions with evidence.

Key methods might include:

Customer interviews
Semi-structured conversations help uncover user behaviours, motivations, needs, and language. Open questions allow deeper exploration into the reasons behind users’ actions and frustrations.

Stakeholder interviews and workshops
These sessions help clarify business goals, operational constraints, and expectations. They may include defining success metrics, mapping internal pain points, or reviewing previous initiatives.

Expert and heuristic reviews
A systematic assessment of an existing product or service surfaces usability issues, inconsistencies, and functional gaps. This can highlight areas for improvement even before speaking to users.

Service mapping
Tools such as service blueprints or customer journey maps expose disconnects between internal systems and user experience. These visual artefacts help teams align around the current state and identify opportunities.

Observational research
By shadowing users or running task-based studies in their real environments, teams can observe behaviours that users may not mention in interviews. This reveals practical friction points and workarounds.

Market and competitor scanning
Analysing both direct and indirect competitors provides insight into how others are solving similar problems. This broadens perspective and helps reframe user expectations.

Prioritisation frameworks
Methods such as PIE (Potential, Importance, Ease) or MoSCoW (Must, Should, Could, Won’t) enable teams to evaluate opportunities and focus on the most valuable or urgent areas.

Design: Explore breadth before depth

The design phase often begins with unclear framing or competing ideas. Without a systematic approach, teams risk either narrowing too quickly or generating ideas that lack focus. A structured design process supports creative exploration while grounding ideas in purpose.

Key methods might include:

Low-fidelity sketching and concept generation
Sketching divergent ideas encourages wide exploration without the cost or pressure of high-fidelity design. This makes it easier to spot patterns, group themes, and challenge assumptions.

Design principles and hypothesis framing
Design principles keep ideation aligned with user needs and business goals. Hypotheses articulate what a solution aims to achieve and how success can be measured, providing direction for testing.

Co-design and feedback sessions
Early feedback sessions with customers or internal teams help test intent and clarity. Sharing rough ideas encourages honest feedback and reduces subjective debate by focusing on user impact.

Rapid prototyping
Prototyping specific features, screens, or flows helps test ideas early and often. Even partial or low-detail prototypes can reveal gaps in logic or usability.

Structured critique
Design critiques use guided questions to assess ideas against their intended purpose. For example, asking whether a concept supports a specific behaviour or removes a known barrier ensures relevance and focus.

Refinement: Focus, Define, Iterate

Once a direction begins to emerge, ambiguity shifts from what to solve to how to solve it well. Refinement focuses on improving clarity, removing inconsistencies, and ensuring usability and scalability.

Key methods might include:

Component-level testing
Testing isolated interface elements such as filters, dropdowns, or card layouts helps identify usability issues before they affect the full experience. This approach also supports design systems thinking.

Progressive fidelity
Designs move from low to mid and high fidelity in stages. Each level allows testing for different qualities, such as layout, navigation, tone, and interaction design. Iterating between fidelity levels reduces the risk of misalignment or late-stage rework.

Task-based moderated testing
Users are asked to complete realistic tasks while researchers observe how easily they can find information, understand structure, and complete actions. This method highlights where improvements are needed.

Unmoderated testing platforms
Distributing prototypes through testing platforms allows for larger-scale feedback. This can uncover unexpected behaviours or validate patterns found in smaller sessions.

Delivery: Communicate Intent, Not Just Specs

Ambiguity can return at the delivery stage, particularly when designs are handed over without explanation or rationale. Delivery is not just about completing files, but about ensuring that the intent behind each decision is understood and protected.

Key methods might include:

Design QA
Reviewing built features to ensure they match the intended design includes not only visual fidelity but also structure, hierarchy, tone, and behaviour. QA helps maintain user experience quality through to launch.

Cross-functional walkthroughs
Collaborative sessions with developers and stakeholders before handover help identify edge cases, logic gaps, and dependencies. These sessions build shared understanding and support better implementation outcomes.

Conclusion

Ambiguity is a constant in product design. Rather than avoiding it, designers work with it, using structured methods to explore, clarify, test, and deliver. By learning how to navigate ambiguity methodically, junior designers can grow confidence in their process and help teams make better decisions at every stage of the product lifecycle.