A structured conversation guide for turning discovery insights into a testable design hypothesis. Use it during or after a client design interview.
How It Works
A creative hypothesis takes the form: "If we present [what] in [this way], users will [do this]."
This statement becomes the benchmark for every design decision that follows. If a design choice doesn't support the hypothesis, it doesn't belong.
The tool walks through five sections:
- Business Context — Who is the client, who are they trying to reach, and what should visitors feel?
- Competitor Landscape — What did the competitor analysis reveal? What patterns exist, and where are the gaps?
- Brand & Design Direction — Visual tone, references, existing brand assets.
- The Hypothesis — Write one or more testable statements, plus how you'll measure success.
- Next Steps — Non-negotiables, content status, and who needs to approve.
At the end, you get a structured hypothesis document you can copy or email to your team.
Where It Fits
This is Stage 3 of a design process:
- Design interview (gather insights)
- Competitor analysis (identify patterns and gaps)
- Creative hypothesis (this tool)
- Mood-board
- Concepts
The hypothesis bridges discovery and design. Without it, creative work is guesswork.
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