THE SPRINT FRAMEWORK

A Design Sprint Framework consists of five days to build and test ideas. The Design Sprint gives InMyShoe the ability to build and test nearly any idea in just a few days. 

Day 1. Map: Understand and define the challenge, and map the user journey

Day 2. Sketch: Breakdown the key user story, sketch a mind map and a storyboard, and vote on the best ideas

Day 3. Decide: Storyboard the user experience in detail to plan your prototype, choose an opening scene and move the ideas you voted for to the storyboard

Day 4. Prototype: Build a minimally real prototype, and draft a discussion guide for customer interviews

Day 5. Test and validate you prototype with real users, observe and take notes and then recap, know what to do next

Shortcut the debate cycle

Instead of waiting to launch a minimal product to understand if an idea is any good, teams get great data from prototypes which is tested with real users. Using these methods helps teams to shortcut the debate cycle and compress months of time into a few days. A Design Sprint is great for developing a business strategy, innovation, behaviour science and design thinking packages into a process that any team can use.

Set the stage

Choose a big challenge and get a decision maker or appoint a delegate who can decide. Recruit a sprint team between 5-7 people with special guests when you need them. Get diverse skills along with the people who work on the project day-to-day. Pick a Facilitator who will manage time, conversions, and the overall sprint process. Reserve time with your sprint team and have your customer interviews scheduled.

What makes it work?

Much of the magic in design sprints comes from the sense of urgency. When the users are arriving, the team must have something to test, so decisions must be made. The team works in a dedicated room for the duration of the sprint where they can “paper thee walls” with their work. This builds momentum and accelerates progress. The team must lean on each other to prioritize and make tough decisions. The team needs to be kept small (5-7 people) with a clear Product Owner and include product/customer expert(s). Potentially a content expert, and a technical expert, as well as an interaction designer skilled in building prototypes. Consideration needs to be given to working styles to form a team that will perform under the conditions of the sprint.