| Stage | Description |
| One | Accept the situation (as a challenge) |
| Two | Analyze (to discover the “world of the problem”) |
| Three | Define (the main issues and goals) |
| Four | Ideate (to generate options) |
| Five | Select (to choose among options) |
| Six | Implement (to give physical form to the idea) |
| Seven | Evaluate (to review and plan again) |