How to Run Successful Design Sprints in the Real World

In today’s fast-paced digital world, businesses constantly seek ways to innovate, solve problems quickly, and deliver customer-centric solutions. One method that has gained significant traction over the last few years is Design Sprints. The process, developed by Google Ventures, is a time-constrained, collaborative approach to solving big problems and testing new ideas in just five days. However, Design Sprints in the Real World require more than just following a set of guidelines; they require understanding the nuances and best practices that make a sprint successful. In this blog post, we will dive deep into the practical applications of Design Sprints, using case studies and expert tips to help you run successful sprints in the real world.

What Are Design Sprints?

Before exploring Design Sprints in the Real World, it’s important to understand what a design sprint is. A design sprint is a five-day process that enables teams to rapidly create and test solutions to business problems. The sprint typically involves the following steps:

• Day 1: Understand and define the problem.
• Day 2: Sketch potential solutions.
• Day 3: Decide on the best solution and create a prototype.
• Day 4: Test the prototype with real users.
• Day 5: Analyze the feedback and decide on the next steps.

While the framework may seem simple, implementing it in a real-world scenario often presents challenges. Design Sprints in the Real World require collaboration across different teams, alignment with business goals, and the flexibility to adapt the sprint to the specific context of the organization.

Best Practices for Running Successful Design Sprints

1. Assemble a Cross-Functional Team

A key factor in running successful design sprints is the team you bring together. Ensure your team includes diverse expertise to address the problem from multiple angles:

• Designers: To handle the user interface and experience aspects.
• Engineers: To assess technical feasibility.
• Product Managers: To ensure alignment with business goals.
• Marketers and Salespeople: To provide customer insights.
• Stakeholders: To ensure the solution fits within the company’s strategic vision.

The combination of different perspectives will generate more ideas and lead to better solutions.

2. Define Clear Goals and Objectives

Without clear goals, your sprint can quickly lose direction. At the start of your Design Sprint in the Real World, be sure to define:

• The specific problem you want to solve.
• The user pain points you want to address.
• The metrics you’ll use to evaluate success.

Having measurable objectives allows the team to stay focused and ensures that your prototype addresses real business needs.

3. Keep It Focused and Time-Constrained

The five-day timeframe is one of the defining features of a design sprint, and it’s essential to stay within this limit. It’s easy for teams to get bogged down in excessive discussions or unnecessary details, but the goal is to make quick decisions, build a prototype, and get feedback fast.

Below are two practical tips:

• Use time blocks for each activity to ensure the team stays on track.
• Avoid perfectionism in the prototype phase; aim for something testable, not final.

4. Make Prototyping Quick and Inexpensive

In Design Sprints in the Real World, the focus is on rapid prototyping. A high-fidelity prototype can take weeks or months to build, but you only need something demonstrating the core functionality to test your assumptions.

Below are two practical tips:

• Use simple tools like Sketch, Figma, or even paper to create mock-ups.
• Keep the prototype realistic enough that users can engage with it, but don’t worry about making it flawless.

5. Focus on User Feedback

Testing is the most critical part of a design sprint. Don’t fall into the trap of validating your own ideas. Instead, focus on gathering insights from real users.

Below are a few practical tips:

• Test your prototype with people who represent your target audience.
• Observe their behavior, ask questions, and note their feedback.
• Use this feedback to refine your prototype or pivot your approach if necessary.

6. Iteration is Key

After your first sprint, don’t stop. Design Sprints in the Real World are often just the beginning. Use the insights you gather to iterate on the design, improve your product, or even run additional sprints to tackle other problems.

Below are two practical tips:

• Break down complex problems into smaller challenges.
• Prioritize issues based on the impact they will have on users.

Case Studies of Design Sprints in the Real World

Let’s explore a few case studies that illustrate how Design Sprints in the Real World can be used to solve problems, validate ideas, and drive innovation.

Case Study 1: Slack – Improving User Onboarding

Slack, the popular team communication tool, used a design sprint to tackle the challenge of improving their user onboarding experience. The company was seeing high churn rates among new users, many of whom did not fully understand the product’s value within the first few days.

• Day 1: The team mapped out the problem, which was understanding how new users interacted with the platform.
• Day 2: They brainstormed potential solutions, including a more interactive tutorial, better tooltips, and customized onboarding paths.
• Day 3: The team created a low-fidelity prototype of an interactive onboarding flow.
• Day 4: They tested the prototype with actual new users.
• Day 5: The team analyzed the feedback, learned that users were confused by too many options, and decided to simplify the onboarding flow.

By applying a design sprint to this problem, Slack was able to quickly validate its ideas and make data-driven decisions on how to improve the user experience. This resulted in a more intuitive onboarding process, which ultimately led to reduced churn rates.

Case Study 2: 3M – Innovating for Healthcare

3M, a company known for its innovations in various sectors, used design sprints to develop a new product for the healthcare market. The team was tasked with improving a particular medical device but was struggling to get past the ideation phase and identify the most promising solution.

• Day 1: The team gathered key stakeholders, including doctors, nurses, and product managers, to define the main pain points associated with the existing medical device.
• Day 2: The team ideated solutions that addressed both user needs and technical constraints.
• Day 3: A prototype was built using simple materials, allowing the team to test key functionalities of the device.
• Day 4: 3M tested the prototype with real users—medical professionals who provided immediate, valuable feedback.
• Day 5: Based on user feedback, the team refined the design and outlined a roadmap for product development.

Through this design sprint, 3M tested a working prototype in real-world conditions and got feedback from the people who would use it. This helped them avoid wasting resources on ideas that weren’t practical and allowed them to prioritize the most important features.

Case Study 3: Uber – Redesigning the Ride Experience

Uber used a design sprint to address a problem that many users of ride-sharing apps face: confusion over the status of their rides. Drivers and passengers often experience communication breakdowns, leading to a frustrating ride experience. Uber’s team used a sprint to quickly address this issue.

• Day 1: The team gathered insights from both riders and drivers to define the problem: miscommunication regarding the ride’s status.
• Day 2: They brainstormed different ways to visually represent the ride’s progress.
• Day 3: The team built a prototype of a new ride status screen that displayed clearer updates on the trip’s progress.
• Day 4: Real users (both drivers and passengers) tested the new interface, providing valuable feedback.
• Day 5: The team analyzed the results, which showed a significant improvement in user satisfaction, and decided to integrate the new design into the app.

This case study shows how Design Sprints in the Real World can be applied not just to product features but also to improving existing experiences, ultimately enhancing customer satisfaction and user retention.

Note: The above case studies are presented by the author after secondary research. Neither the brand nor the author warrant a hundred percent accuracy of the facts. Use the above information with caution.

Conclusion: The Power of Design Sprints in the Real World

Design Sprints in the Real World are not a magic bullet, but when applied correctly, they can be a game-changer for businesses looking to innovate quickly and make data-driven decisions. By following best practices, focusing on collaboration, and leveraging user feedback, you can use design sprints to tackle any problem, from improving customer experience to launching new products.

The key takeaway is that design sprints are about speed and learning. They are not about delivering perfect solutions but about iterating, testing, and evolving in real-time. With the right approach, your team can transform ideas into tangible products faster and more efficiently.

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About the author

A Haryanvi by origin, an entrepreneur at heart, and a consultant by choice, that’s how Ajay likes to introduce himself! Ajay is the Founding Partner at Humane Design and Innovation Consulting (HDI). Before embarking on HDI, Ajay established the Design Thinking and Innovation practice at KPMG India, laying the foundation for his later venture. His 16+ years of professional career spans various roles in product and service design, conducting strategy workshops, storytelling, and enabling an innovation culture. He has coached 50+ organizations and 2000+ professionals in institutionalizing design and innovation practices. He loves to blog and speak on topics related to Design Thinking, Innovation, Creativity, Storytelling, Customer Experience, and Entrepreneurship. Ajay is passionate about learning, writing poems, and visualizing future trends!