wondelai-design-sprint

by jeremylongshore

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SKILL.md About

---
name: design-sprint
description: 'Run a structured 5-day process to prototype, test, and validate product ideas with real users. Use when the user mentions "design sprint", "validate in a week", "rapid prototype", "test with users", "de-risk before building", "GV sprint", "prototype testing", or "design workshop". Also trigger when a team needs to make a critical product decision quickly, resolve stakeholder disagreements, or test risky ideas before investing in development. Covers mapping, sketching, deciding, prototyping, and testing. For ongoing experimentation, see lean-startup. For customer job analysis, see jobs-to-be-done.'
license: MIT
metadata:
  author: wondelai
  version: "1.1.0"
---

# Design Sprint Framework

A five-day process for answering critical business questions through design, prototyping, and testing ideas with customers. Developed at Google Ventures and used by Google, Slack, Airbnb, and hundreds of startups.

## Core Principle

**Great solutions require both deep work and fast iteration.** The Design Sprint compresses months of debate, design, and testing into a single week, creating focus and urgency that eliminates endless discussion.

**The foundation:** Traditional product development wastes months building the wrong thing. Design Sprints de-risk product decisions by testing with real users before writing production code.

## Scoring

**Goal: 10/10.** When planning or executing a Design Sprint, rate it 0-10 based on adherence to the principles below. A 10/10 means proper structure, time-boxing, prototyping, and user testing; lower scores indicate skipping steps or insufficient testing. Always provide the current score and specific improvements needed to reach 10/10.

## The 5-Day Sprint Process

```
Monday → Tuesday → Wednesday → Thursday → Friday
  Map      Sketch     Decide      Prototype    Test
```

**Prerequisites:**
- **Big challenge:** Important problem worth a week's focus
- **Right team:** Decision maker + 4-7 people with diverse expertise
- **Time commitment:** 5 full days (10am-5pm), no interruptions
- **Space:** Dedicated room with whiteboards

**Sprint Master:** One person facilitates, keeps time, manages energy.

## Monday: Map

**Goal:** Understand the problem and choose a target for the week.

### Morning: Start at the End

**Exercise: Long-term goal**
- Write the sprint question: "What do we want to be true in 2 years?"
- Example: "Customers use our product daily" or "We've captured 20% market share"

**Exercise: Sprint questions**
- List obstacles and unknowns as questions
- Example: "Will customers trust us with payment info?" or "Can first-time users figure out the interface?"

**Format:** Write on whiteboard, entire team contributes

### Afternoon: Map the Challenge

**Exercise: Map the customer journey**
1. List actors (different types of customers/users)
2. Draw the journey from start to finish (left to right on whiteboard)
3. Keep it simple: 5-15 steps max
4. Example: "Hears about product → Visits site → Signs up → First use → Becomes regular user"

**Exercise: Ask the Experts**
- Interview team members with specialized knowledge
- CEO, designer, engineer, customer support, sales
- Take detailed notes on whiteboard
- Capture "How Might We" notes (HMW)

**Exercise: How Might We (HMW) notes**
- Rephrase problems as opportunities
- "Customers don't understand pricing" → HMW make pricing immediately clear?
- Write each HMW on a sticky note
- Vote on best HMWs, organize on map

### End of Day: Pick a Target

**Exercise: Choose the target**
- Which part of the map (customer journey) will you focus on?
- Where's the biggest risk or opportunity?
- Example: "We'll focus on the first 10 minutes after signup"

**Decider:** The person with authority makes the final call.

**Monday output:**
- Long-term goal
- Sprint questions
- Customer journey map
- Expert insights
- HMW notes organized
- Target customer and moment

See: [references/monday.md](references/monday.md) for detailed Monday exercises and facilitation.

## Tuesday: Sketch

**Goal:** Generate solutions. Each person sketches a detailed solution.

### Morning: Lightning Demos

**Exercise: Find inspiration**
- Look at competitors and analogous products
- 3-minute demos: "Here's what I found, here's why it's interesting"
- Capture good ideas on whiteboard
- Don't limit to your industry—borrow from anywhere

**Exercise: Divide or swarm**
- Divide: If map has multiple parts, different people tackle different sections
- Swarm: If one critical problem, everyone tackles the same thing
- Most sprints = swarm

### Afternoon: The Four-Step Sketch

**Goal:** Everyone individually sketches a detailed solution (not as a group!)

**Step 1: Notes (20 minutes)**
- Walk around room, review map, HMWs, inspiration
- Take notes silently

**Step 2: Ideas (20 minutes)**
- Rough doodles, mind maps, stick figures
- Quantity over quality
- Still working alone

**Step 3: Crazy 8s (8 minutes)**
- Fold paper into 8 sections
- Sketch 8 variations in 8 minutes (1 minute each)
- Forces you past first idea
- Can be 8 variations on one idea or 8 different ideas

**Step 4: Solution Sketch (30-90 minutes)**
- 3-panel storyboard showing customer experience
- Step 1 → Step 2 → Step 3 (beginning, middle, end)
- Make it self-explanatory (someone should understand without you explaining)
- Use text, arrows, simple drawings
- Give it a catchy title
- **Anonymous:** Don't put your name on it

**Critical:** No group brainstorming. Individual work produces better, more diverse ideas.

**Tuesday output:**
- Each person has a detailed solution sketch
- Sketches are anonymous and self-explanatory

See: [references/tuesday.md](references/tuesday.md) for sketching templates and examples.

## Wednesday: Decide

**Goal:** Critique solutions and choose the best one to prototype and test.

### Morning: Sticky Decision

**Exercise: Art museum**
- Tape solution sketches to wall
- Give everyone dot stickers
- Silently review sketches (no talking!)
- Put dots next to interesting parts

**Exercise: Heat map review**
- Discuss each sketch for 3 minutes
- Facilitator narrates: "Here they see X, then click Y..."
- Sketcher stays silent (don't reveal yourself yet)
- Team calls out interesting parts
- Scribe captures standout ideas on whiteboard

**Exercise: Straw poll**
- Each person votes for one solution (put one large dot)
- Explain your vote in 1 sentence
- This is non-binding, just to see preferences

**Decider:** Person with authority gets three large dots (supervote). Their decision wins.

### Afternoon: Rumble or All-in-One

**If multiple winners:**
- **Rumble:** Competing prototypes (test different approaches)
- **All-in-One:** Combine best ideas into one prototype

**Most sprints:** All-in-one (simpler to prototype and test)

**Exercise: Storyboard**
- Draw 10-15 panel storyboard (comic book style)
- Each panel = one screen or step
- Opening scene: How customer discovers you
- Middle: Your solution in action
- Ending: Successful outcome
- Include just enough detail for Friday's prototype

**Storyboard rules:**
- Keep it simple
- Use stick figures
- Words and arrows okay
- Get specific about UI
- 10-15 panels max

**Wednesday output:**
- Winning solution(s) chosen
- Detailed storyboard ready to prototype

See: [references/wednesday.md](references/wednesday.md) for decision exercises and storyboard templates.

## Thursday: Prototype

**Goal:** Build a realistic facade. You need something to test on Friday.

**Prototype mindset:**
- Fake it
- Prototype only what you'll test
- Goldilocks quality: not too high, not too low (realistic enough to get honest reactions)
- One day only

**Prototype fidelity:**
- **Too low:** Sketches, wireframes (customers can't react realistically)
- **Too high:** Working code, pixel-perfect design (wastes time)
- **Just right:** Looks real, doesn't work real (facades, click-through, video)

### Assign Roles

**Makers** (2+ people):
- Designer, writer, asset collector (images, icons)
- Build the prototype

**Stitcher** (1 person):
- Combines pieces into final prototype
- Usually in Keynote, Figma, or prototyping tool

**Writer** (1 person):
- Writes all copy
- Headlines, button labels, descriptions

**Collector** (1-2 people):
- Gathers assets (photos, icons, competitor screenshots)
- Provides raw materials

**Interviewer** (1 person):
- Writes interview script for Friday
- Practices interviewing

**Sprint Master:**
- Helps where needed
- Keeps energy up

### Build the Prototype

**Tools:**
- **Web/App:** Figma, Keynote, PowerPoint (linked slides)
- **Physical Product:** Video walkthrough, 3D-printed mockup
- **Service:** Role-play video, scripted interaction

**Thursday morning:**
- Divide storyboard into scenes
- Assign scenes to makers
- Start building

**Thursday afternoon:**
- Stitch together
- Review as team (does it match storyboard?)
- Rehearse for Friday (run through entire flow)
- Trial run (test with someone not on sprint team)

**Prototype checklist:**
- [ ] Follows storyboard exactly
- [ ] Looks real enough to get honest reactions
- [ ] Can walk through in 5-15 minutes
- [ ] Interviewer knows how to present it
- [ ] Trial run completed

**Thursday output:**
- Realistic prototype ready to test
- Interview script written
- Interview room prepared

See: [references/thursday.md](references/thursday.md) for prototyping tools and techniques.

## Friday: Test

**Goal:** Interview 5 customers, learn what works and what doesn't.

### Setup

**Interview room:**
- Quiet space with table, 2 chairs
- Laptop with prototype
- Camera recording screen and customer face

**Observation room:**
- Separate room with live video feed
- Team watches together
- Whiteboard for notes

**Roles:**
- **Interviewer:** Conducts all 5 interviews
- **Team:** Watches, takes notes

### The Five-Act Interview

**Act 1: Friendly Welcome (5 min)**
- Greet warmly
- Explain you're testing prototype, not them
- Ask permission to record
- Encourage thinking aloud

**Act 2: Context Questions (5 min)**
- Ask about their background
- Example: "Tell me about how you currently handle [problem]"
- Goal: Understand their mindset and current behavior

**Act 3: Introduce the Prototype (5 min)**
- Show landing page or entry point
- "What's this? What do you think it's for?"
- Don't explain—let them interpret
- Note: Do they get it?

**Act 4: Tasks and Nudges (15 min)**
- Give open-ended task: "Go ahead and explore"
- Follow with specific tasks from storyboard: "Try to [complete action]"
- Use nudges when stuck: "What would you do next?" or "What's going through your mind?"
- Don't help—watch them struggle
- Encourage thinking aloud

**Act 5: Debrief (5 min)**
- "What did you think overall?"
- "Who is this for?"
- "What worked? What was confusing?"
- Ask about specific parts you're uncertain about

**Interview length:** ~30 minutes per customer

**Between interviews:**
- 30-minute break
- Team discusses observations
- Update questions if needed

### Five Is the Magic Number

**Why 5 customers?**
- Patterns emerge after 3-5 people
- Diminishing returns after 5
- Doable in one day (5 × 1 hour = 5 hours with breaks)

**Who to recruit:**
- Target customers (match your personas)
- Screener survey to qualify
- Incentive ($100-$200 for B2B, $50-$100 for B2C)
- Schedule 6 (expect 1 no-show)

### Take Notes: Pattern Recognition

**While watching interviews, team captures:**

| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 | Column 4 | Column 5 |
|----------|----------|----------|----------|----------|
| Customer 1 notes | Customer 2 notes | Customer 3 notes | Customer 4 notes | Customer 5 notes |

**Mark with ✓, ✗, or ~:**
- ✓ Positive reaction, success
- ✗ Negative reaction, failure
- ~ Neutral or mixed

**After all 5 interviews:**
- Look for patterns (did all 5 struggle with the same thing?)
- Count ✓ ✗ ~ per row
- Identify what worked and what failed

### End-of-Sprint Debrief

**Organize findings:**

**✓ What worked:**
- Features/flows that all customers understood
- Messaging that resonated
- Design that felt intuitive

**✗ What failed:**
- Confusing terminology
- Missing steps
- Wrong assumptions

**~ Mixed results:**
- Some got it, some didn't
- Unclear if it matters

**Next steps:**
- **If core concept validated:** Build it (or next sprint on details)
- **If major issues:** Pivot or next sprint to solve problems
- **If totally failed:** Back to drawing board (but you saved months!)

**Friday output:**
- Interview videos
- Pattern notes
- Clear list of what works, what doesn't
- Decision on next steps

See: [references/friday.md](references/friday.md) for interview scripts and note-taking templates.

## When to Run a Design Sprint

**Run a sprint when:**
- High-stakes decision
- Not enough time to build and test normally
- Team is stuck in endless debate
- Multiple solutions possible
- New product, feature, or major redesign
- Need to de-risk before investing

**Don't run a sprint when:**
- Problem is clear and solution is obvious
- You just need to execute
- Team isn't bought in
- Can't get decision maker for full week

## Variations

**4-Day Sprint:**
- Day 1: Map + Sketch (compressed)
- Day 2: Decide
- Day 3: Prototype
- Day 4: Test

**Remote Sprint:**
- Use Miro/FigJam for whiteboarding
- Zoom for meetings
- Same schedule, digital tools

**Multi-Sprint:**
- Sprint 1: Broad problem, choose direction
- Sprint 2: Deep dive on chosen solution
- Sprint 3: Refine details

## Common Mistakes

| Mistake | Why It Fails | Fix |
|---------|-------------|------|
| **Skip prototyping** | Nothing to test | Always prototype, even if simple |
| **Over-engineer prototype** | Waste time on details that don't matter | Facade only, not working code |
| **Test with wrong users** | Invalid feedback | Screen for target customers |
| **Explain prototype to users** | Defeats the test | Let them struggle, observe confusion |
| **No decision maker** | Can't commit to decision | Get Decider for full week or don't sprint |
| **Interruptions** | Breaks focus | Protect the week, no meetings/emails |

## Quick Diagnostic

Audit any sprint plan:

| Question | If No | Action |
|----------|-------|--------|
| Do we have a Decider for full week? | Sprint will fail | Get commitment or postpone |
| Is the problem important enough? | Waste of time | Only sprint on big challenges |
| Can we prototype in 1 day? | Wrong problem for sprint | Choose more concrete problem |
| Can we recruit 5 target users? | Can't test properly | Start recruiting now (2 weeks ahead) |
| Will team commit to no interruptions? | Won't maintain focus | Get buy-in from leadership |

## Reference Files

- [monday.md](references/monday.md): Map exercises, HMW notes, target selection
- [tuesday.md](references/tuesday.md): Sketching templates, Crazy 8s, solution sketches
- [wednesday.md](references/wednesday.md): Decision exercises, storyboard templates
- [thursday.md](references/thursday.md): Prototyping tools, techniques, checklists
- [friday.md](references/friday.md): Interview scripts, note-taking, pattern analysis
- [facilitation.md](references/facilitation.md): Sprint Master guide, time-boxing, energy management
- [recruiting.md](references/recruiting.md): User recruitment, screener surveys, scheduling
- [case-studies.md](references/case-studies.md): Slack, Blue Bottle Coffee, Savioke, and more
- [remote-sprints.md](references/remote-sprints.md): Adapting sprint for distributed teams

## Further Reading

This skill is based on the Design Sprint process developed at Google Ventures. For the complete methodology, exercises, and case studies:

- [*"Sprint: How to Solve Big Problems and Test New Ideas in Just Five Days"*](https://www.amazon.com/Sprint-Solve-Problems-Test-Ideas/dp/150112174X?tag=wondelai00-20) by Jake Knapp, John Zeratsky, Braden Kowitz

## About the Author

**Jake Knapp** created the Design Sprint process while at Google, where he ran sprints on products like Gmail, Chrome, and Google X. As a design partner at Google Ventures (now GV), he refined the process by running over 100 sprints with startups in the GV portfolio. The Design Sprint is now used by teams at Google, Slack, Airbnb, LEGO, and thousands of companies worldwide. Jake is also the author of *Make Time*, a framework for focus and energy.