Design Sprint is a well-structured methodology to clear up doubts and find inspiration for projects. This is one of the rarest methods which has proven itself worldwide for a few years. At Fujitsu, we use this approach to conceive innovative solutions with our clients, meeting all the complex and strategic challenges. This is one of the approaches that we offer in our Experience Studio. 

Invented by Jake Knapp from Google Venture, the methodology can compress months of work into five days to provide quick results. In contrast with Design Thinking or Lean-Startup, Design Sprint is time framed and does not include iterations. During five days – which is very quick – the most relevant people are gathered for a workshop around a specific project and will focus almost exclusively on this project. 

When is it relevant?

Design Sprint is the right approach when a project idea comes up and needs to be challenged whenever related to the creation of a new product, process, or service… and in whatever activity sector. A Design Sprint can come up at any moment in the conception cycle, but the best moment is at the earliest stage as it brings all its value when the project is still at its idea stage. In a few days, the project idea will be evaluated, and we will understand if the idea is valuable or if other projects are more valuable. 

Here are some examples: 

- Launch of a new product or service

- Improvement or reorientation of an existing platform

- Ergonomic or emotional issues affecting your business objectives

- Launch of a project requiring narrow collaboration between several actors (Marketing, Business, Technical..)

- Disruptive models creation

The great advantage of Design Sprint is its possibility to create and test a prototype without writing any code. It is a real gain of time but it also gives the possibility to fail without real consequences.

The advantages are numerous: 

- Obtain immediate results

- Test the potential of a concept without investing in its development

- Stimulate creativity and favor innovation

- Reinforce the alignment between Business and IT 

How does it work?

Design Sprint is made of 5 steps realized in 5 consecutive days. Each step is made according to its own rhythm and objectives to be met before the end of the day. For more simplicity and to avoid breaks, a sprint is organized in one week with one step per day. 

1. Monday: Understand

The aim of this first day is to transfer the business knowledge to all the team and define the issue to resolve. What is the challenge to meet? What do users expect? What is the major problem to resolve? 

2. Tuesday: Sketch 

We open as many doors as possible by designing as many solutions as possible without limits. It can be looking for potential solutions thanks to numerous well-defined and timely scheduled workshops.

3. Wednesday: Decide

At this stage, you must agree on the most relevant solutions to answer the issue determined in the first day.

4. Thursday: Prototype

Realize a prototype which will be presented to users. This step will be made by our creative team with UX/UI Designers.

5. Friday: Test

Get the feedback from 5 real users, validate/refuse the final solution, and then make a decision on the next steps (execute, iterate or kill).

We understand that monopolizing a complete week in each one’s agenda turns out to be a real challenge, that is why the presence of all the team is only necessary for the first three days. The two last days will be ensured by Fujitsu and the conclusions will be transferred to all the participants.

How to choose your dream team?

Design Sprint is based on a methodology but also on the team’s relevancy. The team must gather 5 to 8 people maximum with each person having specific and complementary skills. 

Here are the expected profile types on the client side: 

• A decision maker: his role is crucial as he has the responsibility to come to a decision. It is often a manager or a project owner who takes the sprint to heart.

• A Product person: the person knows the product and the client expectations. It can be a marketing person or a product owner for instance.

• A person representing the client expectations: this person is in direct contact with the users. She knows her expectations and frustrations.

• A technical person: this person will evaluate the technical feasibility of the idea. It can be a developer, an architect, or an engineer.

On Fujitsu’s side, two profile types are needed to guide our clients in the process: 

• An organizer, also called facilitator. He is in charge of timing, animation and the good execution of the five days. He is a kind of conductor of the sprint.

• A creative, with a background in UX/UI design, who will take in charge the prototyping.

The After Design Sprint is as important as the sprint itself

It may be disconcerting at the end of this intense week to face a result, whether good or less good, without knowing what the next step is. We help our clients to analyze the results and draw the right conclusions. Then, it belongs to them to decide to continue the project, to precise even more the idea or to move to another idea.

In all cases, we must be present at each step to bring our several expertise to answer their questions and guide them.

Eager to try the Design sprint adventure? Contact Fujitsu! 

Source : Fujitsu