Design Sprint
A five-day structured process to rapidly solve problems and test ideas through prototyping.
Also known as: Google sprint, GV sprint, Five-day sprint
Category: Techniques
Tags: innovations, designs, processes, prototyping, problem-solving
Explanation
The Design Sprint, developed at Google Ventures by Jake Knapp, is a five-day structured process for solving problems and testing ideas. Day 1: Map - understand the problem and choose a target. Day 2: Sketch - generate individual solutions. Day 3: Decide - choose the best ideas without groupthink. Day 4: Prototype - build a realistic facade of the solution. Day 5: Test - get feedback from real users. The sprint condenses months of work into a week by: forcing decisions (no endless debate), requiring tangible output (not just discussion), and testing with real users before building. Key principles include: small focused teams, no devices during sessions, and time-boxing all activities. Design sprints are particularly valuable for: de-risking major decisions, aligning stakeholders, and answering critical questions before committing resources. For knowledge workers, the design sprint framework offers: a replicable process for rapid problem-solving, techniques for avoiding groupthink, and emphasis on learning before building.
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