theory: With a little generosity, Design Sprint can be called the original digital grandson of Brainstorming. It is also an innovation method that enables the team to find solutions for a development task in a short time. It is said that no other designer on file invented it – Google made it famous sometime in the 2000s. Its big advantage over brainstorming is that it offers not only a bunch of fairly good ideas, but rather cutting-edge concepts that can be taken seriously, including prototypes that have been tested with users.
reality: Design sprints require more preparation than brainstorming. First, the problem must be prepared sincerely.
It’s called the Design Sprint Challenge and it’s about things like: Why is the problem important? Who is affected? What factors affect the problem? Why is it worth solving the problem?
Once this is done, it is important to perform the sprint itself in a clean, methodical manner. Essentially, it consists of five steps, each taking about a day: 1. Defining and structuring the problem, 2. Researching and creating solutions, 3. Deciding which ideas to test, 4. Designing a testable prototype, 5. Validating assumptions through the test.
Participants must therefore be available for approximately one working week. For this reason, repeated attempts are made in everyday life to shorten the process – with great success, depending on the complexity of the problem. As with many creative techniques, the right environment is also required here. People do better when they feel good. And: The team must coordinate or the moderation must keep the team on track.
Conclusion: Even if design sprints are usually a better tool than brainstorming sessions – they’re not a magic potion that gives wings to a flailing and divided team. But those who conscientiously prepare and implement it will be rewarded.
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