Thumbnailing (that's a verb, right?) is a tried-and-true method of concept research that I adhere to almost religiously. Some of the following examples of my process thumbs you may recognize in my finished projects, but all of them moved me towards stronger, concept-backed solutions and informed my work from that point on. I also create word-association maps and like to list out a target audience or two while I thumbnail, which usually keeps me focused on the problem at hand. I've found that in everything you do, the only place you can confidently glean knowledge is from everything you've done before.

Having said that, getting feedback is very important, especially in the more formative stages of design. There's only so much that two eyes can see, only so much processing one person bring can into critique, so getting input on the minor and major points of aesthetic, and of course conceptual delivery, is crucial in my decision-making throughout my process. As designers, our task is to create a solution for something that serves a greater purpose than just being visually appealing, therefore it is in the designer and project's best interests to be flexible and implement feedback. Good ideas can come from any and everywhere!

The method of moving on from the initial static-design thumbnail, varies from project to project. Sometimes it's wireframes, paper prototypes, or physical mockups—sometimes just larger, more detailed sketches done for illustrative or refining purposes, as you'll see below. Wherever the process takes me, whatever the project calls for, every step of research and development informs the next and guides me towards my most effectual results.