You’ve heard about Design Sprints but you don’t actually know what they are and how to perform them. Find below an introduction to Design Sprints
What is a Design Sprint? Design Sprints are a way to solve problems quickly, without having to build or launch a product or service.
Originally created by Google Ventures the Design Sprint framework is based on the principles of Design Thinking. The Design Sprint is a five-day process for answering critical business questions through design, prototyping, and testing ideas with potential customers.
How to conduct a 5 day Design Sprint?
It all starts with defining what the problem or business challenge is. Once the team has aligned on the definition there are 5 approaches to resolving the problem or business challenge.
Image: Source: Google Sprints
Day 1- Understand
Day 1 is about laying out the landscape of the category or business that you are in. Defining your customers, identifying their needs and understanding the context of their needs. At this point the team should also complete a competitive review and identify key advantages and disadvantages. Finally, the team should identify some hypothesis to test in later stages.
Day 2- Diverge
On Day 2 the team explores new possibilities or solutions to the problem in words and in sketches. The focus should be on quantity of solutions not quality. Teams can use ideation methods like Related Worlds or Mind Mapping to take ideation to the next level.
Day 3- Decide
Now its time for some decision making. Here the team reviews all the ideas and votes for the best idea. The team can then storyboard the idea to define it more clearly.
Day 4- Prototype
On Day 4 build something to demonstrate your idea. It doesn’t have to be perfect from the start. Focus on the user experience.
Day 5- Validate
On Day 5 bring in some customers to show them your prototype, focus on telling them a story about your solution and capture their feedback. Ask what’s working and what’s not? Ask customers what could be clearer and how it could be better? Optimize your prototype.
Creating innovation doesn’t have to be difficult. By leveraging these 5 easy steps you will be well on your way to creating meaningful and differientiated innovation –in only 5 days.
