Meetings are terrible and planning is guessing. In 1 hour, learn how to run Decision Sprints—a fast paced alternative to meetings that leads to decisions and clear next steps. Plus a sneak peek into Design Sprints and why they work.

1. Meetings are terrible—Here’s how to fix them

2. After this session, you’ll have the
know‐how and first‐hand experience
to run a Decision Sprint.

3. 1. About Wily + me
2. Decision Sprint
3. Design Sprint

4. We make design easy
so you can unleash
your genius.

6. Wily clients:
Clients from collaborations:

8. Eric Gorman
eric.gorman@wearewily.com
Cole Hoop
cole.hoop@wearewily.com

9. 1. About Wily + me
2. Decision Sprint
3. Design Sprint

10. Because meetings…
• Are unproductive
• Create false clarity
• Breed like bunnies
• Waste our brains
Why Decision Sprints?

11. • Need to drive consensus
• Make a team decision
• Solve a challenge
• Generate ideas
• Time crunch
When should you use them?

12. • Room (2 X the # of people)
• Wall space
• Writing surface
• Sticky notes
• Markers
What do you need?

13. • Sticky dots
• Background music
Nice to have

14. • Pick a challenge
• Invite participants
• Share expected outcomes + agenda
• Share challenge
What else?

15. • Form teams
• Claim your space
What else?

16. Pick a challenge
Invite participants
Share expected outcomes + agenda
• Share challenge
Checklist

17. The challenge

19. Identify challenges with your
physical work environment.
• Keep it concise and legible
• Consider sketching
• Work silently
Our challenge (5 mins.)

20. Vote on most important challenge

22. • Two votes per person
• 1 on many, or many on 1
• If there’s a tie, designate a tie‐breaker
• No talking
Vote on most important challenge (2 mins.)

23. Reframe as opportunity

25. • Move selected challenge
• Add “How might we” (HMW), or
• Recreate sticky note with HMW
• No discussion
Reframe as opportunity (1 min.)

26. Generate ideas

28. • Go for quantity, not quality
• Reserve judgement
• Zip the lips
• If pace slows, use provocations like:
• What would Amazon do?
• How would you solve this on Mars?
Generate ideas (7 mins.)

29. Vote on favorite ideas

31. • 5 votes per person
• 1 on many, or many on 1
• Silence is still golden
Vote on favorite ideas (2 mins.)

32. Evaluate ideas

36. • 2x2 matrix: impact—left, effort—bottom
• Take ideas with 1 or more votes
• Start in the middle
• “Higher” or “lower,” then “left” or “right”
• Get general consensus on placement
Evaluate ideas (5 mins.)

37. Select top idea

39. • Pick best idea from the sweet spot
• If no “sweet spot” ideas, consider:
• Picking from the remaining ideas, or
• Going back to idea generation
• If there’s a tie, just pick one
• No debating
Select top idea (1 min.)

40. Build steps for implementing idea

42. • Create detailed implementation steps
• Use one sticky note per step
• Map steps on wall, from left to right
• Create a unified set of steps
• Work independently, then as a group
Build steps for implementing idea (5 mins.)

43. Divvy up tasks, set deadlines, etc.

44. Congratulations! You did it!
Now you can run your very
own Decision Sprint.

45. Reactions, Reflections, Questions

46. • Link to this deck
• Link to blog post with more detail
• Next training: July 24 @Advent
• Register on Eventbrite
Follow up

47. 1. About Wily + me
2. Decision Sprint
3. Design Sprint

48. Decision Sprints are great for driving
consensus and making team decisions.

49. But what about big challenges?
Or new product or service innovations?
Or building and testing ideas with
customers?

50. Design Sprints help you tackle big
challenges, make ideas tangible
(via prototypes), and test your
ideas with real customers.

51. Design Sprints are a proven,
repeatable, hands‐on way to
validate your idea in weeks,
not months.

53. Design Sprint Bootcamp
• Sept 11‐12 @Camp North End
• Official announcement in early July
• Learn more at wearewily.com

54. Thanks!

55. Eric Gorman
eric.gorman@wearewily.com
Cole Hoop
cole.hoop@wearewily.com