One of our favorite tools for rapid innovation is also one of the most intense: the 5-day design sprint! The 5-day design sprint is a hands-on, hardcore attack at solving a thorny problem or pursuing a hot opportunity.* Get in touch if your team wants to try out this goodness with an experienced guide!
Although the experience unfolds rapidly, it takes a fair bit of prep — remember, good Product Management always comes back to socialization and alignment. First, we must identify the appropriate scope for applying this method 🤔 ; next, we must involve the right cross-disciplinary participants in the appropriate roles 🤗 ; and then we must clear the schedule decks 😅 . When it finally unfolds, the real magic happens: ✨ ideas flow — concepts emerge — the team aligns on a direction — clear definition is achieved — the solution candidate is evaluated — and ultimately, insights abound faster than you’d believe! 🌟
Note that a design sprint can be done well both live / in-person as well as remotely. Miro is an amazing tool in the right hands, and conducting a remote (but still synchronous) design sprint often helps secure participation from the desired stakeholders.
* The 5-day design sprint was turned into a systematic approach by Google Ventures, as well-written-up in the book “Sprint: How to Solve Big Problems and Test New Ideas in Just Five Days” by Jake Knapp with John Zeratsky & Braden Kowitz.
