Process

Though I often work within the established processes of the company I'm working for, when left to my own devices, I stick to a user-centered and iterative process.
Research

Customer and Stakeholder Interviews
Determine the wants and needs of both customers and the business.

Competitive Review
Evaluate the competition’s strengths and weaknesses, and document features of competitors products.

Requirements

User Types
Define and document the roles and characteristics of those who will be using the product..

Tasks
Either as user stories or as a requirements document, define the tasks that users will want to accomplish with the product.

Features
Knowing what users want to do segues into features that allow user to accomplish those tasks.

Design

Process Flows
Process flows can be simple diagrams mapping out possible paths a user can take through a site or application. They can also map out detailed interactions, showing not screens but states of screens.

Sketches
Define what UI elements are required for each screen or interaction, quickly working out UI problems and iterating through possible solutions.

Wireframes
With wireframes the hierarchy of elements on each screen is established and specifics of the interaction design take shape.

Prototypes
Depending on the level of detail required, prototypes can be basic click-throughs or simulate how the finished product will behave.