Why Are Design Sprints So Effective?

We know Design Sprints are excellent at getting teams from stuck to prototype, but why is the process so foolproof? Whether you’re a Fortune-100 company or a startup, the recipe for a Design Sprint makes an impact thanks to a few key ingredients.

• Sprints lead with human-centered design. In other words, humans are at the center of problem-solving and prototyping efforts. You move from uncertainty to testable prototype in a matter of days, not months. This is done by focusing the internal team on a clear problem statement and using real humans to get feedback (more on that in a moment).
• Design Sprints are formulaic. The format takes the guesswork out of designing a workshop from nothing. Instead of spending time vetting and picking the right methods, estimating how much time you’ll need, and creating resources from scratch, a Design Sprint allows you to pick up and go. It’s a prescriptive approach to working that focuses your valuable time on getting the outcomes that matter for your team.
• You get real feedback from real people. Imagine that! Design Sprints are focused on creating a testable prototype that you’ll put in front of real people for feedback. This part is critical to understanding if the product you’ve landed on is actually going to be successful in application.

Design Sprints go a long way in driving clarity and creating alignment for teams, plus they allow them to gain meaningful feedback on their ideas before investing further. As they say, the proof is in the pudding.

What kind of questions do you have about Design Sprints? Is your team thinking about trying one out but doesn’t know how to get started? I’d love to hear from you in the comments, or at jackiecolburn.com.