DESIGN SPRINT
FOR CREATIVE
TEAMS

CEO OF FRESH TILLED SOIL
700+ DIGITAL PRODUCTS
CO-AUTHOR OF DESIGN SPRINT
AUTHOR OF DESIGN LEADERSHIP
CO-AUTHOR OF PRODUCT LEADERSHIP
RICHARD BANFIELD

THIS IS A 3-HOUR WORKSHOP TO TEACH THE
PRINCIPLES OF DESIGN SPRINTS. IT IS NOT A
COMPLETE DESIGN SPRINT.
CERTAIN EXERCISES HAVE BEEN
HIGHLIGHTED WHILE OTHERS SKIPPED IN THE
INTEREST OF EXPEDIENCY.
NOTE TO READERS

HIGH FIVES
WARM UP CHALLENGES
MAKE EVERYONE HAPPY
BUILD A TOWER

A DESIGN SPRINT IS A FLEXIBLE TIME-BOXED
PROBLEM SOLVING FRAMEWORK THAT
INCREASES THE CHANCES OF MAKING
SOMETHING PEOPLE WANT
WHAT IS A DESIGN SPRINT?

ANYTIME CUSTOMER VALIDATION OF A NEW
DESIGN IS REQUIRED
WHEN YOU DON’T HAVE DATA
WHEN THERE ARE ASSUMPTIONS
WHEN YOU ENTER NEW MARKETS
WHEN YOU DESIGN SOMETHING NEW
WHEN IS A DESIGN SPRINT USED

WHY IS RESEARCH NOT ENOUGH?
LOOKS BACK WHILE
DESIGN SPRINT
LOOKS FORWARD

WHAT IS THE VALUE OF THE DESIGN SPRINT

WHAT IS THE VALUE OF THE DESIGN SPRINT
ACCURATELY FRAME THE PROBLEM

WHAT IS THE VALUE
WHY IS THE HEADLINE ALWAYS SOMETHING
LIKE ‘MILLENNIALS AREN’T BUYING FABRIC
SOFTENER’ RATHER THAN ‘P&G FAILS TO
ADAPT TO NEW MARKET’?
ALYSSA SMITH
MILLENNIAL CONSUMER

WHAT IS THE VALUE
SET THE DIRECTION

EVIDENCE OVER HIPPO
HIPPO:
HIGHEST PAID PERSON’S OPINION

WHAT IS THE VALUE
VALIDATE THE SOLUTION

WHAT ARE WE CREATING
ANSWERS
PROTOTYPE

WHAT ARE WE CREATING
OUTCOMES
OUTPUTS

WHAT IS THE VALUE
ALIGN THE TEAM

GOAL: FOSTER CLIENT
LOYALTY
DESIGN SPRINT:
LOYALTY IDEATION
TESTED MULTIPLE
PROTOTYPES
RANDOM ACTS OF
KINDNESS > POINTS
SAVE $, HAND WRITTEN
NOTES
BUY EXPENSIVE
LOYALTY SOLUTION?
$$$Points Program
lots of money & 00/100
1 2 3
just
because
SOLVING THE WRONG PROBLEM

WHAT IS THE VALUE
REDUCE RISK

THE DESIGN SPRINT
UNDERSTAND DIVERGE BUILD
✓X
TESTCONVERGE

IMPROVE THE PROCESS OF FLYING OUT OF
INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT?
HOW MIGHT WE…

AIRLINE XYZ HAS FOUND THAT CUSTOMER
SATISFACTION IS SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER ON
FLIGHTS LEAVING FROM TOP RATED
AIRPORTS.
CHALLENGE

THEIR HYPOTHESIS IS THAT IF A PASSENGER
IS ALREADY UNHAPPY FROM THE PRE-FLIGHT
EXPERIENCE, IT IS MORE DIFFICULT FOR THEM
TO ACHIEVE HIGH SATISFACTION RATING.
CHALLENGE

AIRLINE XYZ HAS HIRED THE YOUR DESIGN
CLASS TO CREATE FRESH NEW IDEAS FOR
IMPROVING THE EXPERIENCE OF FLYING OUT
OF YOUR LOCAL INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT.
CHALLENGE

EVERYONE PARTICIPATES
ALL VOICES ARE EQUAL
BE TOUGH ON IDEAS, GENTLE ON PEOPLE
(ADD YOUR OWN)
RULES OF THE SPRINT

PHASE ONE:
UNDERSTAND

USING A SERIES OF EXERCISES WE WILL
BUILD A FOUNDATION OF UNDERSTANDING
OF THE PROBLEM WE NEED TO SOLVE.
UNDERSTAND

BACKGROUND
GOALS & ANTI-GOAL
EXISTING PRODUCT, COMPETITORS, AND SUBSTITUTES
FACTS AND ASSUMPTIONS
DEFINE THE PROBLEM
PROBLEM STATEMENT
CHALLENGE MAP(S)
KNOW THE USER
WHO / DO
PERSONAS
USER JOURNEY MAP
UNDERSTAND

GOALS VS ANTI-GOALS
GOALS ANTI-GOALS

5 MINS

ASSUMPRIONS VS FACTS
FACTS ASSUMPTIONS

3 MINS

ASSUMPTIONS VS FACTS
LOW
IMPORTANCE
HIGH
IMPORTANCE
HIGH PRIORITY
LOW PRIORITY

5 MINS

EMPATHY MAPPING

5 MINS

PROBLEM STATEMENTS
THE PROBLEM TO SOLVE IS:

5 MINS

PHASE TWO:
DIVERGE

NOW WE WIDEN THE LENS AND GENERATE
POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS TO THE PROBLEM.
THE OBJECTIVE IS TO GENERATE AS MANY
IDEAS AS POSSIBLE. YOU’LL WORK
INDEPENDENTLY AND IN GROUPS TO
MAXIMIZE YOUR POWERS OF IDEATION.
DIVERGE

CRITICISM FREE ZONE

FOLD THE PAGE INTO 6
DRAW 6 NEW SOLUTIONS (ON YOUR OWN)
SIX-UPS

5 MINS

SHARE YOUR IDEAS WITH THE GROUP
SIX-UPS

8 MINS

EACH SELECT ONE IDEA
DRAW THREE SCENES FROM THE IDEA:
1. THE PAIN OR PROBLEM
2. EXPERIENCING THE SOLUTION
3. THE OUTCOME
STORYBOARDS

6 MINS

WRITE A FEW SENTENCES TO EXPLAIN EACH
PART OF THE STORY
DESCRIBE THE EVENTS
DESCRIBE THE CONTEXT
STORYBOARDS

5 MINS

PHASE THREE:
CONVERGE

WE MAKE HARD CHOICES AND PICK A SINGLE
DIRECTION TO PROTOTYPE AND TEST WITH
USERS.
YOU’LL FOCUS ON HAVING THE RIGHT (AND
SOMETIMES DIFFICULT) CONVERSATIONS
ABOUT HOW YOU CAN SOLVE YOUR CHOSEN
PROBLEM.
CONVERGE

WORKING INDIVIDUALLY DRAW WHAT YOUR
SOLUTION WOULD LOOK LIKE
SKETCHING

5 MINS

SHARE YOUR IDEAS AND DISCUSS WITH THE
ENTIRE GROUP
REMEMBER: TOUGH ON IDEAS, GENTLE ON
PEOPLE
SKETCHING

10 MINS

EACH PERSON TAKES TURNS IN PRESENTING
THEIR IDEA TO THE REST OF THE TEAM.
LISTENING TEAM MEMBERS PROVIDE
FEEDBACK. PRESENTER TAKES NOTES.
REPEAT UNTIL EACH MEMBER HAS GONE.
RITUAL DISCENT

1 MINS + 2 MINS

USING THE FEEDBACK YOU RECEIVED, MAKE
IMPROVEMENTS TO YOUR SOLUTION
SKETCHING, AGAIN

5 MINS

ON YOUR OWN, IDENTIFY THE TWO
SOLUTIONS FROM YOUR TEAM SKETCHES
YOU LIKE MOST AND PLACE YOUR VOTE NEXT
TO THEM.
VOTING

2 MINS

PHASE FOUR:
BUILD

PRODUCT PROTOTYPES ARE LIVING
VERSIONS OF YOUR IDEAS.
PROTOTYPES DON'T HAVE TO BE PERFECT,
BUT SHOULD PROVIDE ENOUGH DETAIL TO
ADEQUATELY TEST YOUR ASSUMPTIONS
WITH USERS OTHER THAN YOURSELVES.
BUILD

AS A TEAM, CREATE A MULTI-STEP PROTOTYPE
OF YOUR SOLUTION.
BUILD WITH THE INTERVIEW IN MIND
(DRAW, VIDEO, ROLE PLAYING, ETC.)
PROTOTYPING

10 MINS

AS A TEAM, DETERMINE WHO FROM YOUR
TEAM WILL BE THE INTERVIEWER, AND WHO
WILL BE THE NOTE TAKERS
PROTOTYPING

1 MIN

AS A TEAM CREATE 5 QUESTIONS TO ASK
DURING THE PROTOTYPE TEST.
DETERMINE WHICH QUESTIONS WILL GET
ASKED BEFORE THE PROTOTYPE IS SHOWN
(UNBIASED), DURING THE PROTOTYPE
(CONNECTED TO A FEATURE), OR AFTER
(WRAP UP)
QUESTION FORMULATION

10 MINS

IDENTIFY TOP ASSUMPTIONS FROM PHASE
ONE, RELATED TO THIS IDEA AND LINE UP
VERTICALLY.
ASSUMPTION MAPPING

3 MINS

DEFINE “VALID IF…” CRITERIA
WHAT WILL THE USER SAY OR DO TO
DEMONSTRATE THIS ASSUMPTION IS TRUE?
ASSUMPTION MAPPING

ASSUMPTION MAPPING
VALID IF:
VALID IF:
VALID IF:
VALID IF:

5 MINS

PHASE FIVE:
TEST

YOUR USERS AND/OR CUSTOMERS ARE THE
ONES WHO WILL GIVE YOU THE BEST
FEEDBACK.
GO BEYOND THE VERBAL FEEDBACK AND
ALSO OBSERVE BEHAVIORS, BODY
LANGUAGE, AND EMOTIONS.
TEST

ASK WHEN AND HOW QUESTIONS?
SAY “TELL ME MORE?”
DON’T ASK YES & NO QUESTIONS
DON’T ASK LEADING QUESTIONS
ALLOW FOR SILENCES
INTERVIEWING

PAIR UP WITH ANOTHER TEAM
ONE TEAM PRESENTS AND THE OTHER TEAM
ASKS QUESTIONS
SWITCH TEAMS AND REPEAT
INTERVIEWING EXERCISE

2 MINS + 5 MINS

WHAT DID YOU LEARN FROM THE TEST?
WHAT WOULD YOU CHANGE OR ADD TO
IMPROVE THE SOLUTION?
RETROSPECTIVE

ASSUMPTION MAPPING
VALID IF:
VALID IF:
VALID IF:
VALID IF:
TEST:
TEST:
TEST:
TEST:

4 MINS

CONGRATULATIONS!
YOU DID IT.

richard@freshtilledsoil.com
@rmbanfield
@freshtilledsoil
#designsprint

sprint
design[client name here]
[FTS names here]
[date here]

Design Sprint
○ “We need Sashi, Jen, Joe, Frank, Aman, and Nadia, too!” —Two pizza rule
○ “Let’s focus on this textbox.” — More ambiguous = better
○ “We’ll use our normal conference room” — Book it in advance (offsite
preferable)
○ “I can only be there for half of day 2” — Clear schedules
○ “Can we do it in one day?” — No. Just….NO!
ains

Schedule
Phase Two: Visual & User Experience Design
Monday 21-Dec 10a to 4p
UNDERSTAND
Intro to Design Sprint
Intro to Understand
Problem Statement
Existing research
Facts & Assumptions
Reframe
Personas
Challenge Maps
Daily Retro
Tuesday 22-Dec 10a to 4p
DIVERGE
Intro to Diverge
Recap Day 1
Job Stories
Diverge Cycle
Mind Map
SixUps
Storyboard
Silent critique
Group critique
Daily Retro
Wednesday 23-Dec 10a to 4p
CONVERGE
Intro to Converge
Recap Phase 2
Assumptions Table /
$100 Test
Identify Alternatives
Team Sketch I
Ritual Dissent
Team Sketch II
Daily Retro
Tuesday 5-Jan
PROTOTYPE
Build prototype
Define Test Plan
Confirm Interviews
Thursday 7-Jan 10a to 4p
TEST
Interview #1
Interview #2
Interview #3
Interview #4
Interview #5
Friday 8-Jan 1p
RETRO & DEBRIEF
Sprint Retro

pre-sprint prep ASSEMBLE THE TEAM
4-12 people
PO + spectrum of contributors
clear schedules is a must
FIND YOUR USERS
gather existing personas
gather stats and stories for context
complete recruiting for the testing phase
PREPARE THE ROOM
offsite is always better
plenty of supplies that foster creativity
arrange seating for small groups to collaborate
Just a little bit of prep work is required to ensure we hit the
ground running. Most of this is about clearing the path and
eliminating roadblocks before they happen.

note/pic/quote about clearing
schedules of being off site

MAKE
THINGS
PEOPLE
WANT
MAKE
PEOPLE
WANT
THINGS

pre-sprint research and discovery with the Genentech teams
explore how an alignment of a single standard data model
(SDTMv) can be used across the organization for all data delivery
determine applicability to defined use-cases
understand how a design sprint can be used as a mechanism for
collaborative problem solving at Genentech
goals

objectivesExplore how an alignment of a single standard data model (ex: SDTMv) can
be used across the organization for all data delivery, including data review,
narratives, and reporting. (Does it make sense to have more than 1 data
model?)
Determine the applicability of this standard to defined use-cases.
Understand how a design sprint can be used as a mechanism for
collaborative problem solving.

outcomesDecision of data model(s)/data source(s) for all reporting and transformation
deliverables
Agreed upon strategy to achieve this decision

opportunityEvaluation of and recommend the best data model(s)/data source(s) for
all CDM reporting & transformation deliverable
Simplify and streamline processes that support reporting and
transformation

Intros, Overview, & Rules
What’s the Problem?*
Hopes & Fears**
9:00am - 10:30am
Welcome
3:15pm-5:00pm
Understand III
Problem Statement(s)
Daily Retrospective
MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY
10:45am - 12:30pm
Assumption Storming**
Problem Context*
Current Solution(s)
Understand I
Challenge Mapping
Dot-Vote
1:30pm - 3:00pm
Understand II
Agenda At-a-Glance
* Invite any (non participant) subject matter experts during this timeframe
** Helpful to include executive-level stakeholders for this exercise
THURSDAY FRIDAY
Day 1 Recap
WHO/DO: Persona(s)
Journey Map
9:00am - 10:30am
Understand IV
3:15pm-5:00pm
Diverge III
Storyboards
Daily Retrospective
10:45am - 12:30pm
Job Stories
Six-Ups
Storyboards
Diverge I
Job Stories
Six-Ups
1:30pm - 3:00pm
Diverge II
Day 2 Recap
£100 Test
Assumption Matching
9:00am - 10:30am
Converge I
3:15pm-5:00pm
Converge IV
Final Sketches
Daily Retrospective
10:45am - 12:30pm
Assumption Table
Sketching I
Converge II
Ritual Dissent
Sketching II
1:30pm - 3:00pm
Converge III
Day 1, 2 & 3 Review
Start Building
Test Guide
9:00am - 10:30am
Build I
4:00pm-5:00pm
Pre-Test Review
Review Prototype
Daily Retrospective
10:45am - 12:30pm
Prototype Build
Build II
Prototype Build
1:30pm - 3:30pm
Build III
2-3 Tests
9:00am - 10:30am
Test I
3:30pm-5:00pm
Sprint Debrief**
Results Interpretation
Sprint Retrospective
10:45am - 12:30pm
2-3 Tests
Test II
2-3 Tests
1:30pm - 3:00pm
Test III

Client testimonial - Doug Mitchell, CEO of OfferLogic (photo attached) - slide #3
"When we started the Design Sprint process, I was worried how this was going to turn out. But after the second
session, I trust you guys completely. I know your team 'gets' us and what we're trying to do. We're now on a
different course than we planned at the outset, but it's exactly what our company needs right now."
Client testimonial - Raj Indupuri, CEO of eClinical - on speed
"We knew we needed to focus on this workflow eventually, but were nervous to mention it because we couldn't
believe you could learn and do so much in a week!"
Client testimonial - Dan Koziak, CXO of Promoboxx - on bringing the team together for different
perspectives
"Who knew our account managers would have such great ideas for our product? They generated more than
half the ideas we came up with, including the idea we prototyped. I’d never have tapped into them if we
hadn’t done this.”
Client testimonial - unnamed from TripAdvisor (design sprint workshop)
"It was one of the few experiences in my career where I didn't have to defend the process which was
refreshing.”
Client Testimonials

Bliksem Tobey, VP at Tech of Vemo Education - design sprint
“I want to send a shout out to all of our friends at Fresh Tilled Soil!...You played a HUGE role in helping us get
started in the right direction with our sprint in NYC...And you have helped us begin to bring that vision to
reality.”
Tammy Brady, Servicing and Operations at Vemo Education - design sprint
“Just wanted to say thank you for being so fabulous and helping us lay the groundwork for what promises to be
the best "system" I've worked with in 30 years. You have opened these old-school eyes of mine to a new way
of thinking and doing business.”
Anonymous at Trip Advisor - design sprint workshop
"It was one of the few experiences in my career where I didn't have to defend the process which was
refreshing.”
Client Testimonials (cont.)

ETSY
up to 1 month to complete seller on boarding
tested with prototype
- more sellers completed on-boarding but # of items down (!)
- they had made it too easy
ETSY
new menu for creating a new listing
- good feedback on first round of testing
- when prototype released = neg. feedback because ETSY had made brand new listings easier but had
inadvertently made copy & editing from existing listings more work
- spent 6 months fixing this and other learnings that came out of prototype testing
http://alistapart.com/article/sharing-our-work-testing-feedback-in-design
EXTERNAL STORY

accurately frame the problem
get validation on a solution
to set the direction
why?

value
reduce risk of failure
align teams
gain efficiencies and limit waste

X ✓
“Just Go Build It”
team alignment is a constant struggle
clashing opinions over direction
roadmap starts to slip… again
project goes considerably over budget
launch engagement is under impressive
Building By Design
team stays aligned from day one
evidenced-based decision making
iterative process ensures deadlines are met
project stays pretty close to budget
launch engagement exceeds expectations

accurately frame the problem
reduce risk of failure
align teams
discover answers fast
get validation on a solution
set the direction