Quick guide to the Design sprint. The sprint is a five-day process for answering critical business questions through design, prototyping, and testing ideas with customers. Developed at Google Ventures, it’s a “greatest hits” of business strategy, innovation, behavior science, design thinking, and more — packaged into a battle-tested process that any team can use. To use the links within the deck - download the presentation and open it in the browser.

1. Design Sprint
by Google Ventures
The sprint is a five-day
process for answering
critical business questions
through design, prototyping,
and testing ideas with
customers.

2. Why and Who?
Design Sprint
Why do it? Who is needed? Basic rules?
It's quick and in-expensive
way to learn about important
market problems or validate
new ideas
You create cross functional
team where every participant
feels attached to a problem
you all try to solve
It beats opinions as everybody
sees real response from the
real people
It encourages team work -
everyone could see the value
of others so as struggles they
have
A facilitator
A designer
A CEO (could be
anybody with a real
decision power)
A product manager
A user expert
An Engineer
A Marketer
Anybody else who’s
interested
5 day process
Set the stage
1 day: Unpack the problem
2 day: First sketches
3 day: Decide
4 day: Prototype
5 day: Test with real people
Main objective is to get an
actionable solution out of the
sprint

3. Unpack
the
problem
Sketch
the
solutions
Decide
on
solution
Prototype
the
solution
Test the
solution
Dig into problem
Everybody brings
all data they can
find on the
problem
Outcome
of the day
Everybody
knows everything
about the problem
Sketch as many
solutions as
possible
Draw, mind map,
note, storyboard,
crazy 8
Outcome
of the day
Tons of
solution sketches
Decide on best
solution(s)
"Best shot" or
"Battle Royal"
Outcome
of the day
One or
few best solutions
Prototype
All should
contribute
Outcome
of the day
Prototype
Test with real
people
People not from
your company
Entire team
watches and take
notes
Outcome
of the day
Knowledge

4. Unpack
the
problem
Exercises
Outcome
of the day
Everybody
knows everything
about the problem
Business opportunity: The CEO or product leader should walk
the sprint team through the business opportunity and market.
Lightning demos: Look at competitors’ products, look at non-
competitive products that solve a similar kind of problem in a
different market.
Lay it out: Print out all the important screens in your product, lay
it out, and walk through it as a user would.
Success metrics: How will you measure the success of this
design?
Existing research: whatever data you do know about your
customers.
Team interviews: go around interviewing people at the
company who have specific expertise.
Analytics: Look at any data you have.
Do
Note everything
"How might we"
format
Draw pictures
SKETCH THE
MOST
IMPORTANT USER
STORY
Source

5. Exercises
Choose part of the problem: Everybody focus on the same part
of the problem. Faster cycles.
Notes: If not already, capture all ideas in notes.
Mind map: Mix up ideas and notes to create a structured "cheat
sheet" for later UI sketches.
"Crazy 8": Everybody takes a sheet of paper, folds it in half 4
times. Draw 8 sketches on each panel.
Storyboard: Everybody sketch an actual UI. Work independently
or in groups, share anonymously.
Silent critique: Everybody looks at different storyboards and put
a sticker on every idea or part of the idea that they like. No limit
on amount of stickers.
Three-minute critique: Each person speaks about each
storyboard. First what they liked, then if something is missing.
Most popular ideas do not need explanation.
Do
Paper first
Work individually
or in groups
Sticky note
"Super Vote" if
needed
Source
Sketch
the
solutions
Outcome
of the day
Tons of
solution sketches
5 min
15 min
5 min
20 min
10 min
3 min/idea

6. Exercises
Search for conflicts: Two or more approaches to solve the
same problem. Each conflict is a gold mine.
"Best shot" or "Battle Royale": Either choose one, best solution
to test ("Best shot") or, if not possible, select few best solutions
for the "Battle royale" - test them all.
Test your assumptions: Write down all your major
assumptions and the ways you will validate them.
Whiteboard the user story: Draw final storyboard that will be a
spec for your prototype. Get one person to draw, but others
should help.
Do
Combat the group
effect
Make decisions
(don't hide behind
"Battle royal")
Source
Decide
on
solution
Outcome
of the day
One or
few best solutions

7. Exercises
Make it minimally real: Prototype does not need to be pixel
perfect. It needs to be believable.
Write real text: Forget "lorem ipsum". Use real text, made it up.
Prototyping tools vs code: Use tools that will allow you to
create a prototype in a shortest time possible.
Divide and conquer: Everybody should be able to help with
prototype creation. Divide work.
Build an asset library: Build a template slide deck. Include
anything that everyone will need — screenshots, user avatars,
logos, formatted text; whatever you think might help.
Review with an outsider: Schedule 30 minutes with someone
who is not doing design work today. The outside eyes will help
prevent you from going too far down any groupthink rabbit
holes.
Do
Keynote
(PowerPoint) are
the best
prototyping tools
Appoint an email
sheriff
Pointers, text,
browser bar and
other final
touches
Source
Prototype
the
solution
Outcome
of the day
Prototype

8. Exercises
List your key questions: The interviewer and the observers
should make a list of the key questions for the day.
Set up the observation room: Everybody who participated in
the sprint should be in the room. There’s no substitute for
watching real humans use your product, and this is a golden
opportunity to do it!
Every observer takes notes: Everybody should take notes on
things they see during the interviews: good, bad, and other.
Insist on paper note-taking — it’s best to keep laptops closed,
lest you lose your fellow observers to email..
Make a scoreboard: Clear one big whiteboard to collect the
group’s notes. Make a column for each participant and a row for
each part of the interview (e.g. background, first prototype,
second prototype, etc).
“Things that work” and “Problems to solve”: These are your
top-line findings. The CEO or decider for the project should
bless that list before you leave the room.
Do
Don’t diss the
user
Designate a court
reporter
Next sprint, it will
be easier
Source
Test the
solution
Outcome
of the day
Knowledge

9. Design Sprint
War chest
Remember Ingridients
PICK A BIG FIGHT
GET THE RIGHT PEOPLE
SCHEDULE THE USER STUDY
BEFORE YOU HAVE ANYTHING
TO TEST
Sticky notes
Drawing pens
Whiteboards
Whiteboard markers
Dot stickers
Blank copy paper
Time Timer Clock
Snacks
Sticky stuff

10. Resources that were used to create this info deck
How To Conduct Your Own Google Ventures Design
Sprint
The 6 Ingredients You Need To Run A Design Sprint
Lean more about the Design Sprint
The Design Sprint
www.test-n-tell.com