Day 1 - Understand & Map
Purpose: Build a shared understanding of the challenge and define the goals.
On the first day of the Design Sprint, the team dives deep into understanding the problem at hand. We gather all relevant stakeholders—product owners, designers, developers, and marketing—to ensure everyone is aligned. We start by mapping out the challenge, focusing on customer needs, business objectives, and the product’s existing features.
Through expert interviews, lightning talks, and in-depth discussions, we identify potential opportunities and obstacles. The day ends with a clear goal and target to focus on for the rest of the sprint.
Key Activities:
- Expert interviews
- Defining long-term goals
- Mapping out the customer journey
- Identifying key challenges
Day 2 - Sketch Solutions
Purpose: Explore a wide range of solutions to the problem.
Now that the challenge is clearly defined, it’s time for creativity. On day two, the team brainstorms ideas and sketches out possible solutions. We encourage everyone to come up with their own approaches, drawing inspiration from successful products, competitors, and other relevant examples.
At this stage, no idea is too wild. We want to gather as many creative solutions as possible. These sketches don’t need to be pretty; they’re all about exploring the core interactions and concepts that could potentially solve the challenge.
Key Activities:
- Review of existing solutions and inspirations
- Individual sketching of potential solutions
- Idea generation and critique
Day 3 - Decide & Storyboard
Purpose: Choose the best solution and build a detailed plan.
With all the ideas from day two on the table, the team now shifts focus to decision-making. We evaluate the sketches, discussing the pros and cons of each, and then vote on the most promising solution.
Once we’ve selected the winning idea, we map out a step-by-step storyboard. This storyboard serves as a blueprint for the prototype we’ll create the following day. It details every interaction and flow the user will experience.
Key Activities:
- Reviewing and voting on solutions
- Building consensus around the best idea
- Creating a detailed storyboard for the prototype
Day 4 - Prototype
Purpose: Create a realistic prototype that can be tested with users.
Day four is when things start to come to life. The team focuses on building a tangible prototype based on the storyboard from day three. This prototype doesn’t have to be perfect, but it should be functional enough to simulate the key interactions and flows identified earlier.
Using design tools like Figma or Sketch, we develop a clickable prototype that looks and feels real. This allows us to simulate the product experience and test it with users the next day.
Key Activities:
- Design and development of the prototype
- Creating a clickable, user-ready version
- Focus on key interactions, not full functionality
Day 5 - Test With Real Users
Purpose: Validate the solution by observing real users interact with the prototype.
The final day is all about feedback. We bring in real users—people who fit the target audience profile—and have them interact with the prototype. Through user testing, we observe how they use the product, where they encounter issues, and whether the solution solves their problems effectively.
By the end of the day, we gather valuable insights into what’s working, what needs improvement, and whether we’ve hit the mark. These findings guide the next steps, whether that means iterating on the design or moving forward with development.
Key Activities:
- Conducting usability tests with real users
- Gathering feedback on the prototype
- Identifying key insights and next steps
