Designing with Purpose: A Strategy Rooted in Research

At Lucid_, we believe that design doesn't begin with a solution—it starts with the right question. That's why strategy and research aren't side steps in our process; they're the starting point for everything we do. We don't believe in designing by instinct, but by evidence. We don't create empty proposals, but make decisions with purpose.

Our Strategic Innovation team is dedicated to uncovering what's not always visible: the true motivations behind people's behavior, untapped market opportunities, and friction points that open the door to new ideas. From there, we help sharpen the focus, set priorities, and shape meaningful solutions—for the business, the user, and the context.

We spoke with Laura Laguna , Head of Strategic Innovation at Lucid_, about how this comes to life in our work.

What exactly is Strategic Innovation at Lucid_?

To me, it's where we turn uncertainty into direction. We're the filter that helps decide what's worth designing—and why. We dig into the real goals behind a design. It's the point where three major pillars come together: business, market, and user. We give them shape so that what we create makes sense and adds value.

Some people say strategy is just smoke and mirrors. What would you say to them?

I'd say that smoke appears when people speak without listening, decide without observing, and design without real data. Strategy is what clears the smoke and brings focus. It helps us make informed decisions.

I always say we're strong strategists because we're solid researchers. We start with evidence, not assumptions. That's what gives our work a real sense of purpose.

What does “research” mean to you? How do you approach it?

For us, to research is to understand. There's a qualitative side—looking for the why, the unspoken, the underlying needs—and a quantitative side that validates, measures, and helps prioritize. But more important than the method is the objective: what do we want to uncover? What hypotheses are we testing? Once we know that, we build everything else around it.

Do you always include user research?

There are many ways to find answers, but user research always gives us the richest insights. That's where the unexpected happens. It's where you confront reality. You truly understand how products are used, what people value, what's not working. It's eye-opening—and it completely transforms how you approach a design.

What makes your research approach different from other agencies?

There are lots of methodologies out there. But what really makes the difference is our team. People with deep business sense, who've built companies and made critical decisions. Having a strategic mindset completely changes how you do research: you don't just understand, you know what to do with that understanding.

We value curiosity, empathy, and a drive to dig deeper. People who go beyond scripts—who can read between the lines, catch contradictions, and challenge the obvious. Skills can be learned, but attitude is everything.

How do you turn all that information into something useful?

We use a lot of visual frameworks—opportunity maps, customer journeys, matrices. We bring order to uncertainty. Each project requires a different way of working with the information. That analysis and conceptualization phase is where we generate the most value. It's not just about asking good questions, but about synthesizing the answers and drawing the right conclusions.

How do you encourage creativity from that analysis?

Having a solid methodology actually gives us more room to be creative. When you're grounded in real evidence and focused, ideas flow naturally. That said, we also use techniques like “What if…” or “How might we…” to break down challenges into more manageable parts. We love De Bono's provocations too—they're great for unlocking unexpected paths. But again, more than the tools, it's the team's connection and their instinct to explore that really makes the difference.

How do you collaborate with the design team?

We involve designers right from the start. Even if they're not researchers, it's essential that they live the process and listen to users. That creates real empathy. Designing from lived experience is worlds apart from designing from a briefing.

What's the opportunity cost of skipping research?

Time, money, and frustration. If you don't know what problem you're solving, you end up redesigning blindly and iterating in circles. Research saves time, provides direction, and lets you validate before investing. If you see research as an add-on, you're already too late.

Can you share a project where this approach made a big impact?

Definitely—our project with Bellota . We were redesigning hand tools and decided to visit job sites to observe how people really used them. That's where we saw why things weren't working. Users were “hacking” their hoes—adding rubber bands, makeshift grips—to stop parts from falling off. That insight was key. We designed an anti-rotation system based on those DIY fixes. And it earned us a Delta Award , precisely because we spotted something obvious that no one had bothered to rethink.

Another standout was CASA ISDIN . It wasn't just about creating a beautiful space, but about designing the right kind of experience from the moment users walked in to when they left. We did in-depth research: mapped the entire journey, analyzed flows, expectations, emotions, and friction points. We didn't start with the space—we started with the experience. We realized it shouldn't just be a store or a brand showcase, but a place where users felt understood, where a real connection was built.

What do you enjoy most about your work?

Constantly learning new things. Meeting people I'd never otherwise meet. Bringing order to chaos. And getting to the end of a project and thinking: "Wow. Look what we pulled from all that initial uncertainty." That's incredibly rewarding.