Parallel design is a technique in which different people create different initial designs from the same set of requirements. After developing initial designs independently, designers come together present their ideas and use the best ideas to further improve their designs.

Best practices for parallel design are:

• Define which layouts to address
• Clarify the expectations regarding fidelity of the designs
• If using a team approach, be sure your teams have equivalent skills
• Establish the evaluation criteria

Parallel design is usually used in the initial stages of a project but can be beneficial during further development as well.