Create and test a solution
within 4 days...
…directly with its users? This is the promise of the Design Sprint! The Design Sprint is a methodology developed by Jake Knapp for Google Ventures to quickly develop and validate an idea in the space of 4 days. It is a powerful tool that allows direct confrontation with users while avoiding the deployment of excessive financial resources.
After leading several Design Sprints with various teams, however, I was able to identify several points that require more specific attention in order to make the Sprint as successful as possible.
#0 Conduct the research phase upstream
A Sprint alone cannot answer the questions why and for whom. It is essential to integrate it into a Design Thinking approach and to conduct an upstream research phase in order to clearly identify your users, their needs and their problems.
#1 Assemble the right team
You may want to launch a Design Sprint only with your project team. This is a very big pitfall in many Sprints, because it then deprives you of a diversity of points of view, as well as the immeasurable contribution of engineering or marketing profiles in the development of a solution. What is the point of going towards an idea that appeals to you if it is technically not possible? So remember to take an engineer and a communicator with you.
#2 Passing on a member of customer support
Often, we tend to forget to also include a person from the support team in the Sprint team. By doing so, we deprive ourselves of an extremely important gold mine on the problems encountered by our users on a daily basis. These profiles have a lot to contribute and should be used much more within the projects. Within a Sprint, they have everything to contribute!
#3 Schedule the exercises in time
A Design Sprint imposes a sustained and fast pace, so it is essential to properly frame each of the exercises within the time limits. Many novice facilitators are afraid of forcing participants to stick to the allotted time, yet this is essential. The Sprint offers everyone the opportunity to present and share their point of view, if the same people constantly monopolize the speaking time, you will end up creating a solution for them, not for your users.
#4 Onboard the decision-maker in your project
Decision-maker profiles are generally the most complicated to block for the duration of a Sprint. Although Sprint basically prohibits computers and laptops, I prefer to authorize them only for the decision-maker in order to facilitate his presence at the workshops. Learn how to strategically divide the exercises in order to be able to use the lever of the decision-maker at the best moment and according to his availability.
#5 Avoid hierarchical pressure
In some cases you may end up with a team that systematically follows any choice made by the decision maker. To avoid this, always have the decision maker vote last. Do not hesitate either to suggest that participants place their votes behind the post-its or proposals so as not to influence themselves or put unnecessary pressure on their decisions.
#6 The participants are afraid to take the pencils
In many cases, you will encounter participants who don't dare to draw, probably stuck for a long time, “unable to draw” and others. In cases like this, do not hesitate to show examples: pencil wireframes, imperfect paper prototypes, stick figures, etc. Explain that the main thing is to convey an idea, not to redo the Mona Lisa, and that a set of rectangles can perfectly succeed in conveying what they think!
#7 Wanting to have a perfect prototype before going to test it
This is one of the most common mistakes in business, teams are afraid to confront users with a prototype that they consider “draft”. However, it is essential in the spirit of Sprint to quickly test a solution with users because there is always the possibility of making a mistake. Any day invested in finishing a prototype can thus lead to a serious financial loss. For a Sprint, aim for a prototype well enough, the main thing being the content, not the look.
Take Away
There would still be a lot to say about how to conduct a Design Sprint and about the pitfalls that can be encountered. Like any methodology, the Sprint has its strengths and weaknesses, but it remains an extremely powerful tool that brings the strength of start-ups to large companies.
If we summarize:
- Assemble a diverse and diverse team
- Framing workshops and strong personalities
- Onboard a decision maker as much as possible
- Reassure participants of their abilities
- Prioritize content over form
And if you want to find out more about the DesignSprint, I invite you to visit our training center !
Simon V, UX-Designer & Trainer @UX-Republic
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