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5 steps to run a successful Design SprintUX Australia 2016

Chris Gray

@cj_gray

@cj_gray

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@cj_grayIn less than 10 seconds the greatest sprinter of all time breaks the world record. Like a design sprint it happens quickly but the race represents only a fraction of the process.Today Ill share 5 steps for running a successful Design Sprint based on our experiences of running them for clients; big and small.

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Hello!Chris Gray Worked in UX for 15 years Teach at General Assembly Lover of vintage video gamesDirector and lead at Nomat a boutique UX firmWe support organisations such as flybuys, Telstra, ANZ, Australia Post and start-ups including Vervoe and Gooroo

@cj_grayWere passionate about people & helping them to achieve their goals. Supporting out team members to achieve their career goals, supporting our clients to achieve successful commercial outcomes and creating outstanding experiences for our clients end users. We do this through pragmatic design and research to solve business problems.

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What is a Design Sprint?

@cj_grayThe sprint is a five-day process for answering critical business questions through design, prototyping, and testing ideas with customers. According the Google Ventures guys, their sprint process (which is how we tackle sprints) draws on existing processes and techniques, including:IDEOStanford d.schoolWorkshop techniquesResearch techniques

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Solve a BIG problem

@cj_gray

@cj_gray

@cj_grayBy choosing a BIG problem you are giving yourself the opportunity to gain access to some of the things you need for a successful sprint. This includes, access to senior peoples time for a whole week, adequate time to prepare, the money to bring in real users and other resrouces youll need for the week. With a small problem thats not important to the business, gaining these things will be much harder. Once the 5 day sprint has finished it will be easier to maintain the momentum with a BIG problem in order to reach a solution.

An examples of a BIG problems we have tackled using a Sprint was Reimagining a products core proposition to allow it to reach a new customer base.

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You NEED 5 days

@cj_gray

@cj_gray

@cj_grayWhen we run training the most common question I get asked about design sprints is does it have to be 5 days? YES Each of the 5 days has a number of key elements, (setting a direction, exploring the problem, identifying solutions etc)by running one in less than 5 days you are watering down the process or short-cutting the information that is needed to flow through to the next stage.I mentioned before that you should focus on solving BIG problems, these takes time to solve them properly.

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Involve customers

@cj_gray

@cj_gray

@cj_grayIts crucial that this steps isnt de-scoped for budgetary or time reasons. Design Sprints must involve the end user otherwise we are adding more assumptions to the design process. Obviously Im preaching to the converted!Involving the customer has key benefits:1. Design the right product for our customers. 2. And it will provide evidence to help support the solution after the sprint.7

Planning is critical

@cj_gray

@cj_gray

@cj_gray

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Planning a sprint

Effortless

Source: https://developers.google.com/design-sprint/downloads/DesignSprintMethods.pdf

@cj_grayIm sure youve seen this but I like it!!Planning a sprint:Logistics include booking a venue, arranging whiteboards, sketching paper, sharpies, scheduling peoples etc.Management of stakeholders need to gain buy-in from stakeholders and help them to understand whats realistic from a sprint and helping them to understand when its the right tool. Also set-clear expectations about what will happen during the sprint. Helping them to understand what they need to bring to the table and how the 5 days will run. So they understand the way the sprint is being run and why. Once the sprint starts there isnt a lot of time to explain the process. It is also critical to tie the sprint activities back to the goals of the sprint and the problem youre trying to solve.

Once the gun fires changing direction is incredibly challenging.

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Get the right people in the room

@cj_gray

@cj_gray

@cj_grayThere are some obvious people needed (developer, designer, subject matter experts, protoypers, researchers etc)BUT we suggest its:1. Key decision maker, for obvious reasons, or someone who understands intimately their needs2. That person who knows everyone in the company and can get info quickly3. The advocate. Theyll sell the sprint to others, advocate for the solution, and sprints more generally.

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Wrap-up:

Solve a BIG problemYou need five daysInvolve customersPlanning is criticalGet the right people in the room

@cj_gray

@cj_gray

@cj_grayAs youve seen the steps covered today dont focus on the 5 days of the sprint:

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Should we run a design sprint?

EffortlessWe have a defined customer problem and business problemWe dont know the solution to the problem yetWe want to learn quickly and cheaplyWe are comfortable with generating new ideasWe are ok with finding a solution that doesnt workWe have the resources and desire to pursue an identified solution

@cj_grayLet me leave you with one final point. Be prepared to walk away Success is linked to running sprints when they are most appropriate. Here is a quick checklist we adapted with the help of John Paul Ungar to help discover if a design sprint is the right approach to solve your business problem. Run through this with your key stakeholders; if you can tick all the statements then get sprinting.

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Thanks!

nomat.com.auchris@nomat.com.au@cj_gray

@cj_gray

@cj_gray

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