Suitable for
- ✓rapid generation of new ideas,
- ✓aligning the entire team and starting work on a new service,
- ✓testing the viability of prototypes.
Design Sprint is a rapid design process for new products developed by Google Ventures, which simulates the entire design process, from understanding and defining the problem, to ideation, solution selection, prototyping, and validation of ideas.
A Design Sprint is an intensive, time-bound process that guides teams through the critical stages of problem-solving and prototype development. Originally developed by Google Ventures, it usually lasts five days and includes phases like understanding, ideating, prototyping, and testing. Design Sprints are highly effective in validating new ideas, aligning stakeholders, and accelerating decision-making. They are widely used in product design, service innovation, and strategic planning, where rapid insights and tangible outcomes are essential.
A clear, concise statement of the problem to be solved or the opportunity to be explored during the design sprint.
Fictional characters representing the main user groups of the product, including their demographics, goals, and pain points.
Visual representations of a typical user's experience with the product, highlighting key touchpoints, actions, and emotional states throughout the journey.
A review of competitors' products, features, and strategies to understand the overall market landscape and inform design decisions.
A visual narrative illustrating the user's experience within the proposed solution, showcasing the essential features and key steps.
Low-fidelity visual representations and blueprints of the screens, pages, or elements within the proposed user interface.
A tool used to determine which features, solutions, or ideas to prioritize based on factors such as user value, implementation effort, and strategic alignment.
Interactive, functional representations of the proposed solution that users can test and provide feedback on.
A summary of the findings from usability testing with real users, including identified problems, insights, and areas for improvement.
A list of changes, enhancements, and next steps to improve the solution based on user feedback and testing results.
A compelling presentation summarizing the design sprint process, insights, deliverables, and key recommendations for moving forward with the proposed solution.
Understand
In this step, the team gathers together to clarify the problem, define the long-term goal, and identify the target audience. Key stakeholders participate in discussions to provide input and share background information. It's essential to understand contextual factors, business objectives, and user needs.
Define
Based on the problem statement, generate a list of questions that the design sprint aims to answer. Key decision-makers then prioritize these questions, and the team chooses a target question to be addressed in the sprint.
Sketch
Brainstorm potential solutions by sketching them on paper individually. This is a rapid idea generation phase, where each team member works independently to come up with their best ideas. These are informal and low-fidelity sketches meant to encourage a broad range of solutions.
Decide
Evaluate and critique the sketches to determine which ideas offer the best chance at achieving the goals of the sprint. As a team, discuss the merits of the sketches, and vote for the top ideas. Select one solution, or combine elements from multiple sketches, as the focus for the prototyping phase.
Prototype
Create a realistic prototype of the selected solution using tools like wireframes, user flows, or mockups. The goal here is to bring the idea to life with enough fidelity for users to understand its intention without spending too much time refining it. This prototype will be used in the Validate phase.
Validate
Test the prototype with real users to gather essential feedback on its usability and effectiveness in addressing the problem. Observe how users interact with the prototype and ask questions about their experience. After testing, gather as a team to analyze the results and determine what works and what requires improvement. Use this information to iterate on the design and make informed decisions moving forward.
5 days
several rooms, papers, writing tools, post-its, refreshments
the entire project team (designers, researchers, clients, experts)
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