Purpose-Driven Design is our unique approach to solving problems.
Equal parts proven process and design philosophy, Purpose-Driven Design is ETR’s proprietary framework for solving design challenges.
We look for purpose in every decision we make and every pixel we put on a page. From strategy to implementation, we make sure every decision is rooted in making the user’s experience better. We make products that not only solve your business problems, but are also products that users love to use. A user is anyone who interacts with a product: from consumer end-users to important stakeholders to internal staff who will be working with the product on a daily basis. We leverage user data to better understand their needs and create products that make their lives better.
The ultimate goal of Purpose-Driven Design is to give people their time back. We accomplish this by running an efficient process and by designing products that reduce friction.
The Principles
Real value is discovered
Understanding our client’s business, customers, goals, and aspirations is how we bring truly innovative solutions to life.
Usefulness Depends on Empathy
Design decisions must be rooted in solving real problems suffered by true users. Empathy comes from walking in their shoes.
Collaboration Requires Learning
We’re all in it together – and we all matter. A unified team comes from supporting each other and learning each others needs.
The Road to Obvious is Rigor
Simple solutions only appear obvious after you’ve done the hard work to get there.
You can’t guess your way to credibility
We believe an unverified fact is just an opinion. Credible designs are based on facts and data, not opinions and personal beliefs.
Design for context, not device
We consider every part of the user’s experience when we make design decisions. Where you are matters just as much as the size of your screen.
Innovation = Aspiration ÷ Feasibility
We ship because we design things that can be built. We focus on innovative differentiators rather than reinventing the wheel.
Keep it Human
Emotion is at the core of our design. True user connection is baked into our products, not just sprinkled on at the end
Our Process
Our process is what makes us different. It’s one of the unique strengths we bring to every project. We’ve spent years fine-tuning it and look forward to using it with you.
For a deep-dive, check out this article, Digital Design Process: Drive Successful Outcomes.
The Toolkit
Our toolkit is a constantly evolving knowledge and resource center, filled with the tools and exercises we use to find success.
Throughout our process we use many different tools, exercises, and workflows that help provide clarity through each step and bring the abstract into the concrete. Some of these ideas come from great creative minds outside of ETR but have adapted to align with our process. Explore the Toolkit.
