Let's start with a little exercise. Take a look around the room you're in right now. Notice the shape of your table and the ergonomics of your chair? What about the device you're using to play this video on right now?
All that stuff and almost everything else around you started off as a design problem or design challenge. So, how does something go from a design challenge to an actual user-centered product? One way is through design sprints.
Let's explore what a design sprint is and identify when to use one. A design sprint is a time-bound process with five phases typically spread out over five full eight-hour days. The goal of design sprints is to solve a critical design challenge through designing, prototyping, and testing ideas with users. At Google, we use Design Sprints to answer questions, define product directions, figure out cross-team strategies, and even build team culture.
For example, I was recently a part of a Design Sprint for Google's Transparency Report. The goal was to better understand how our users experience the reports. We also discussed the website's goals, values, and future vision. Design Sprints generally include five phases.
Understand, Ideate, Decide, Prototype, and Test. We'll come back to these phases and investigate each one later. So, what makes a Design Sprint so useful? For one, Design Sprints save time. With a Sprint, your team can cut the decision-making process down from several months to a single week.
Sprints also create an effective path to bring a product to market. Sprints prioritize the user, putting their needs front and center. And sprints allow you to fast-forward into the future to test your product and get customer reactions before making any expensive decisions.
Running a design sprint is like using a superpower. With all these benefits, you'd think every product team would want to run design sprints. But that's not always the case. Before launching into a design sprint, you need to review your design challenge and ask yourself these key questions. Are there many potential solutions to your design challenge?
Does the design challenge require people from cross-functional teams to weigh in? Is the design challenge's scope wide enough for a sprint? If you answered yes to any one of these questions, a design sprint might be the right move.
Let's think back to those five design sprint phases we introduced earlier. Understand, ideate, decide, prototype, and test. Now we're going to go beyond introductions and really get to know each phase.
A traditional design sprint lasts five days with each phase taking up to one full day. The whole process is super hands-on. Creative collaboration is at the core of every phase. Let's explore how a team might conduct a design sprint.
Okay, imagine you're a UX designer for a company called Cycling Enthusiasts. Your latest app lets cyclists track their distance ridden and calories burned. Sadly, the app's sales have started slumping. Kind of like how your energy would start slumping if you had actually taken a long bike ride today.
So how can a design sprint solve this problem? Let's find out. The understand phase sets your sprint on the right track and helps your team get a clear picture of the design challenge. Your team takes time to learn from experts and engage in creative discussions with a lot of different people from other departments and industries. These conversations help you more clearly understand the design challenge.
But what's the first rule of UX design? The user comes first. This means everything your team does during the sprint should focus on the user. So now your team understands the design challenge. For our imaginary sprint, let's say sales are slumping because the app doesn't offer bicyclists anything new.
Your team arrives for phase two of the design sprint, pumped full of inspiration. and ready to ideate some solutions. To get the creative juices flowing, you start this phase by coming up with a creative solution. with ideas and building off of them to create solutions. Once you've got the team thinking, each participant takes time to sketch and present their ideas.
Don't worry about your drawing skills here. The idea is what matters. On top of all the ideating that happens in Phase 2, you also need to start planning for user testing, which happens in Phase 5 of the Sprint. During user testing, you'll have a diverse group of people test your product. and provide feedback.
To be able to do this, you need to start recruiting users that fit your target profile now, so the sprint stays on schedule. By the time you reach phase three, you have a lot of potential solutions for your design challenge. Now it's time to decide which solutions you want to build. Together, your Cycling App team discusses each possible solution and eventually decides on the one solution that is most likely to excite users and increase sales. For example, the solution might be a feature that uses the cyclist's location to create customized routes that meet their fitness goals.
Sounds pretty cool, right? Finally, you'll wrap up the day by creating a step-by-step blueprint for your prototype. Next, Phase 4, Prototype Time.
You're now ready to build the first version of your new app feature. At the end of this phase, you don't need a finished product, just something realistic enough to test with users. By focusing only on what the user experiences on their screen, your team creates a working prototype of the new customized routes feature.
Way to go! During this phase, you also finish prepping for user testing by confirming the test schedule, finalizing interview questions, and making sure your prototype is good to go. All right, it's been a busy week, but you did it. You reached the final phase, testing. Now it's time to put your prototype in front of users.
As users test your prototype, you observe how they react and then interview them about their experiences. Your team gains critical insight about changes that need to be made before you launch the new feature. To recap, The five phases of Design Sprints are Understand the scope of the design challenge Ideate possible solutions Decide on the most viable solution Create a workable prototype And finally, test that prototype with actual users Congrats!
You made it to the end of the Sprint. Now your team knows exactly what to adjust before launching the new cycling app feature. Promotions for all! Design Sprints are big part of the UX design world, so you'll probably participate in a lot of them, and even lead a few someday. Ready to learn even more about design sprints?
Me too. From tech, to finance, to retail, future-forward companies in all kinds of different industries use design sprints to solve complex problems. In other words, sprints are pretty much a game-changer.
But what makes design sprints beneficial? And why are they so darn popular? Here's what a few seasoned UX designers have pointed out.
First, in design sprints, it's all about the user. Sprint participants make sure the design challenge is always focused on the user and their needs. After all, it's the users who ultimately decide if your product is successful, right?
Second, Sprints value every person in the room, from the office intern to the senior stakeholder, including people from lots of disciplines and experience levels, is a key part of the process. Why? Because considering all angles of the problem and the solution means the best ideas will rise to the top. Next, sprints give the core team time to focus solely on the design challenge. Think about it.
Five work days devoted entirely to the design challenge. to distraction-less, gadget-less creative collaboration. Now, that's a recipe for some serious problem solving.
Also, Sprints lower the risk of an unsuccessful market debut because the team gets feedback from real users and can make critical adjustments before the product launches. And finally, Sprints are versatile because they can be scheduled at any point during your project. When a challenge arises, You've always got the Design Sprint option in your back pocket. So, are you sold on the benefits of a design sprint? Sprint yet?
Awesome. Next, let's focus on how to plan an effective one. As an entry-level UX designer, you probably won't be expected to lead a design sprint, but it's still helpful to know what it takes to plan a successful one.
Let's check out some of the basic ideas. First up, user research. If you're lucky enough to have a dedicated researcher on your team, they can own this step. If not, well, you might be taking it on yourself.
User research is always the first step in any sprint planning process. Your research should focus on the user problems you're trying to solve during the sprint. You don't have to detail out a specific problem right away. But getting a rough idea of what your sprint will focus on will help you decide which research methods make the most sense. We'll discuss different research methods in more detail later.
Next, it's time to call in the experts. If you're planning the sprint, it's up to you to schedule short talks with colleagues or industry experts. You'll listen to these info-packed talks during the understand phase of the sprint. A good talk helps clarify the problem your sprint is trying to solve.
Keep in mind, the more experts you bring in, the more schedules you have to accommodate. So start planning early. We promise it'll be worth it. Step 3. Find the right space. Sounds a little obvious, right?
But trust me, booking the right room can make all the difference. It's important to ensure that the space allows all employees equal opportunities to perform their job. Let's talk about a few things you should look for. Whiteboards to capture your ideas or hang sticky notes, acoustics so participants can hear each other easily, accommodations for anyone who needs them, and comfortable furniture that you can move around easily.
You're going to be spending a lot of time in this room, so get cozy. Once you've found the right space, it's time to gather supplies. If you're planning the design sprint, it's your job to make sure everyone has what they need to participate.
Kind of like a teacher handing out classroom supplies. Some essentials include markers, sticky notes, and a lot of snacks and water. On to step five, establish the rules of the sprint.
If you want this to be a gadgetless, distraction-free zone, now's the time to say so. Figuring out the ground rules in advance sets the tone for the sprint, gets everyone on the same page, and helps your team stay focused. So you've done your research, called in the experts, found the right space, gathered supplies, and established your sprint rules.
What's next? Step six is planning introductions. This can be pretty important. since sprints involve cross-functional teams that may have never met before.
We all know icebreakers can be a little cheesy, but they're still a great way to help your team get comfortable with each other. Plus, choosing icebreakers that are relevant to your sprint can motivate your team and put them in the right mindset. Here's an idea for an icebreaker.
Ask everyone to talk about a time they call customer service to complain. This puts the team in the shoes of a user, exactly where you want them to be when solving UX design challenges. All right, we made it to the final step, post-sprint planning.
That means thinking about what will happen after the sprint wraps up, like how your team might use what you've learned to achieve other goals. To do this, you need documentation. Make sure you enlist a few people to help document the design sprint.
by taking pictures, collecting sticky notes, and jotting down ideas. Okay, let's recap the sprint planning basics. To prepare for a design sprint, you'll need to conduct user research, schedule talks with experts, find the right space, gather supplies, establish ground rules, break the ice with your team, and plan out post-sprint action items. Sound about right? Awesome.
Let's keep going. Up next, we'll walk through a Design Sprint Brief. Now let's build a five-day Design Sprint Brief.
The Sprint Brief is a document that you'll share with all your attendees to help them prepare for the sprint. So let's check out the things that make up a Design Sprint Brief. Start with the Design Sprint Challenge.
This introduces your team to the sprint objectives. Think back to the cycling app from earlier. If you created a brief for that sprint, the design challenge might be build exciting new features for the cycling app in time for relaunch later in the year.
Next, you need to identify the key deliverables, meaning what your team actually wants to create by the end of the sprint. So for the cycling app, you might say that we want to have a complete prototype that includes the feature update. Then it's on to logistics.
First, everyone participating in the sprint needs to know where the sprint will happen and when it will be held. You also want to list who's attending and the name of the sprint master. Usually, the sprint master is the person who sends out the brief, but that's not always the case. If you want to designate a sprint master, you should do it before you send the brief. Next, add approvers.
Got some higher-ups that need to sign off on the product before launch? This is the place to note it. If your cycling app needs the official approval of Miss Cycling Enthusiast's CEO before launching, the sprint brief should mention it.
Your sprint brief should also include a list of resources. For short-term sprints, there's probably a team already assigned to this project. For long-term sprints, you may need to create a plan to secure additional resources.
For example, With the cycling app, you might need to assign resources from engineering to take on the work needed to launch the new feature. Next, we have the project overview, where you should explain the current state of the project, call out roadblocks that stand in your way, state early wins if you have any, and outline the estimated launch plan. Finally, we wrap it all up with the sprint schedule, an hour-by-hour schedule of the five-day sprint, including break times. This lets people know what to expect and gives them time to prep so you can keep things moving along during the sprint.
And you're done! You've planned your design sprint and created your brief. The only thing left to do now is to put the sprint in motion.
If you're still a little confused about what goes in the design brief, you'll find some great examples in the readings. Okay, next up we'll learn more about the role of an entry-level UX designer in the sprint process. As an entry-level UX designer, you won't be running the show, but you'll play an important role contributing to every phase of the sprint.
Let's check out what your sprint week might look like. When you get to the sprint space, you'll find everything you need to do your work. You'll have office supplies, a bottle of water, and maybe some snacks.
The sprint master will welcome everyone and lay out some ground rules. For example, you might have to give up your phone and keep your laptop closed until the end of each day. There might also be a team icebreaker like the example mentioned earlier, and then you'll get down to it. The first day is the understand phase, where you'll get a clear picture of the design challenge.
There will be plenty of short talks by experts that are designed to inspire you, so make note of any thoughts you have. Phase two is the ideate phase. The Sprint Master will guide the team through brainstorming activities to spark creativity and generate tons of possible solutions to the design challenge. Your main focus is coming up with ideas and putting them out there. Welcome to phase three, the decide phase.
Congratulations, you're halfway through the Sprint. Your team will decide on the solution with the greatest chance of success. As a newbie UX designer, you'll get involved in every stage of the decision-making process.
When potential solutions fight it out, you'll vote for the one that has the most potential. As you might remember, at this point, you also need to start planning ahead for testing, or phase five of the sprint. As an entry-level UX designer, you might help by scheduling testers, creating survey and interview questions, and gathering necessary equipment. Phase four is all about creating a prototype of your product.
As an entry-level UX designer, you'll be actively involved in creating a solid prototype for users to try out. You'll ask questions, offer ideas, and review the completed prototype. You might also confirm the test users for Phase 5. We've made it.
It's test day. The test phase is the final phase of the process, where you put your prototype to the test. As a newbie designer, you might be asked to collect user feedback by observing ...
and interviewing users. This feedback helps the team know what to revise before bringing the product to market. And that's it!
You've learned all about an entry-level UX designer's role in the Design Sprint process. As you reach the Design Sprint process finish line, expect to feel like you just completed an actual sprint at a track meet. A successful sprint will leave you tired but energized, chock-full of new ideas with a fire in your belly to get to work. I still remember the first sprint I was a part of.
I came up with some cool ideas, but also a lot of bad ones. No worries if this happens to you as well. This is why validating your ideas with users is baked into the design sprint process. You'll have ideas, and so will the rest of your team, meaning it doesn't rely solely on you.
It's a team effort, and by the end of the process, you'll have a better sense of whether your idea is working or not before implementing it. Coming up... We'll talk about retrospectives and why it's important.
Here's some exciting news. You now know how to prepare for and execute a design sprint. There's just one last thing to do, the sprint retrospective. So, let's check out what a sprint retrospective is, how it's conducted, and why it's important.
We've all experienced seeing someone make the same mistake Over and over again. Chances are, we've sometimes even been that person. What if there was a way to stop making mistakes for good?
Well, that's exactly what retrospectives do. The retrospective is a collaborative critique of the team's design sprint. We usually do retrospective meetings immediately following the sprint so that everyone's thoughts are fresh.
Retrospective meetings don't have any particular agenda. The goal is to make sure everyone who took part in the sprint has a chance to give feedback. The two key questions we aim to answer in the meeting are, what went well and what can be improved?
The person who led the sprint will guide the conversation and someone will take notes so that the team can use the feedback to make the next sprint even more productive. Retrospectives are super useful. They can help you to work better as a team.
improve how you communicate with clients, and even point out areas where you can grow as an individual. Retrospectives are all about empowering, not shaming. If something didn't go well, this is your chance to make sure you have the resources and the tools to do better next time.
One of the most effective retrospectives I took part in was one where people actually felt comfortable contributing, and we focused on continuous improvement. Congratulations on finishing this course from the Google UX Design Certificate. You can access the full experience including job search help and start to earn your certificate by clicking on the icon or the link in the description below. Watch the next video in the course by clicking here and subscribe to our channel for more from upcoming Google Career Certificates.