Design Sprint 5 Day Workshop

This overview is based on Jack Knapp’s book “Sprint”. A powerful five-day framework designed to help teams swiftly tackle complex problems and validate innovative ideas. This sprint exercise is ideal for organizations seeking to accelerate their product development, enhance team collaboration, and make informed decisions quickly. By following Knapp’s structured approach, teams can efficiently brainstorm, prototype, and test solutions with real users, ensuring that their efforts are focused and effective. Whether launching a new product, improving an existing service, or addressing specific challenges, the Sprint methodology provides a clear, actionable path to achieve meaningful and validated outcomes in a condensed timeframe.

10 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

• Kickoff & Introductions
  • Write and check off a daily checklist to stay organized.
  • Introduce team members, highlighting the Facilitator and Decider roles.
  • Explain the five-day sprint process using the provided slide deck.
• Set Goals and Identify Challenges
  • Define a long-term goal by envisioning the project’s future impact (6 months to 5 years).
  • List sprint questions by addressing potential failures and turning fears into actionable questions.
• Create a Sprint Map
  • Develop a simple flowchart mapping customer interactions with the product, identifying key players and the end goal.
• Expert Interviews
  • Conduct interviews with sprint team experts and external guests to gather insights.
  • Update the long-term goal, questions, and map based on new information.
• How Might We (HMW) Notes
  • Reframe problems into opportunities using “How Might We” statements.
  • Organize and vote on HMW notes to prioritize themes and select the most impactful ideas.
• Target Selection
  • Choose the most important customer and a specific target moment on the map with input from the team, finalized by the Decider.

Key Ideas:

• Start at the End: Begin with the desired outcome and work backward.
• Shared Understanding: Leverage the collective knowledge of the team.
• Reframe Problems: Turn challenges into opportunities using HMW statements.

Facilitator Tips:

• Maintain energy and focus by capturing discussions, asking clarifying questions, and making decisive moves to keep the sprint on track.

10 a.m. – 2 p.m.

• Lightning Demos
  • Review successful solutions from various companies to inspire ideas.
  • Capture and sketch noteworthy concepts quickly.
• Divide or Swarm
  • Assign team members to different sections of the sprint map based on focus areas.
• Four-Step Sketch Process
  1. Notes (20 mins): Gather observations silently.
  2. Ideas (20 mins): Jot down rough concepts privately.
  3. Crazy 8s (8 mins): Rapidly sketch variations of ideas.
  4. Solution Sketch (30–90 mins): Develop a detailed, self-explanatory storyboard with three panels, keeping it anonymous and titled creatively.

Key Ideas:

• Remix and Improve: Build on existing ideas.
• Everyone Can Sketch: Simple sketches are effective.
• Concrete Over Abstract: Visual representations aid in evaluation.
• Work Alone Together: Individual brainstorming yields better solutions than group sessions.

Additional Tasks:

• Customer Recruitment for Friday’s Test: Assign responsibilities for recruiting participants through various channels and ensure follow-ups to confirm attendance.

Morning to Afternoon

• Sticky Decision Process
  1. Art Museum: Display all solution sketches.
  2. Heat Map: Team members place dot stickers on preferred parts of each sketch.
  3. Speed Critique: Brief group discussions on each sketch’s strengths and weaknesses.
  4. Straw Poll: Each member selects a favorite sketch.
  5. Supervote: The Decider allocates additional votes to finalize choices.
• Finalize Solutions
  • Separate winning sketches from others.
  • Decide whether to merge ideas into one prototype or create multiple prototypes (Rumble).
• Make a Storyboard
  • Plan the prototype by outlining a storyboard with 5-15 steps.
  • Ensure the storyboard is detailed enough for prototyping without being overly complex.

Facilitator Tip:

• Conserve team energy by deferring minor decisions and focusing on key choices with the Decider’s input.

10 a.m. – 3 p.m.

• Prepare for Prototyping
  • Select appropriate, flexible tools for quick and rough prototype creation.
  • Assign specific roles: Maker, Stitcher, Writer, Asset Collector, Interviewer.
• Build the Prototype
  • Collaborate to create a cohesive prototype based on the storyboard.
  • Ensure all parts fit together logically, with the Stitcher maintaining quality.
• Trial Run
  • Conduct a walkthrough of the prototype to identify and fix any issues.
  • Finalize the prototype, making necessary adjustments.

Throughout the Day:

• Interview Preparation: Develop the interview script and ensure all logistical aspects for Friday’s testing are in place, including customer reminders and gift card preparations.

Key Ideas:

• Prototype Mindset: Build prototypes to learn, not for perfection.
• Goldilocks Quality: Ensure the prototype is just detailed enough to gather meaningful feedback.

All Day

• Set Up Research Lab
  • Prepare two rooms: one for the sprint team to observe and one for conducting interviews.
  • Ensure technical setups like webcams and document cameras are functional for seamless video streaming.
• Conduct Interviews
  • Execute up to five customer interviews in one day to identify significant patterns.
  • Use the Five-Act Interview structure:
    1. Friendly Welcome: Make customers comfortable.
    2. Context Questions: Start with small talk, then delve into relevant topics.
    3. Introduce the Prototype: Explain limitations and encourage thinking aloud.
• Observe and Take Notes
  • During interviews, team members observe and document reactions, quotes, and insights.
  • Organize notes on a whiteboard grid for each customer and prototype section.
• Analyze Findings
  • Identify and list patterns from the interviews, categorizing them as positive, negative, or neutral.
  • Review long-term goals and sprint questions against the interview insights to determine next steps.

Key Ideas:

• Five is the Magic Number: Conducting five interviews is sufficient to identify clear patterns.
• Collaborative Learning: Watch and analyze interviews together to enhance understanding.
• Every Outcome is Valuable: Whether the prototype succeeds or fails, the feedback is essential for future improvements.

Interviewer Tips:

• Be a Good Host: Ensure the customer feels comfortable and valued.
• Ask Open-Ended and Curious Questions: Encourage detailed and unbiased responses.
• Maintain a Curiosity Mindset: Stay genuinely interested in the customer’s feedback.