The Design Sprint template is based on Google Ventures' proven five-day framework for solving problems and testing ideas quickly. This template helps teams move from problem to tested solution in a structured, time-boxed format.
While traditional design sprints run over five days, this template can be adapted for shorter sessions or used to structure design thinking processes in your retrospectives and planning sessions.
The Five Phases
The format follows five key phases:
- Understand: Research and map the problem space
- Diverge: Generate multiple ideas and solutions
- Decide: Choose the best solution to prototype
- Prototype: Build a testable version of the solution
- Validate: Test with users and gather feedback
This structure ensures teams don't jump to solutions but instead follow a rigorous process of understanding, ideation, and validation.
How to facilitate
Facilitation Guidelines
- Time-box each phase: Strict time limits prevent overthinking
- Start with user needs: Always begin with understanding the user/problem
- Encourage wild ideas: The Diverge phase should be judgment-free
- Use structured decision-making: Voting and dot voting work well in Decide phase
- Prototype quickly: Focus on speed over perfection in Prototype phase
- Test with real users: Validation requires actual user feedback, not assumptions
Adapting for Shorter Sessions
For 60-90 minute sessions:
- Understand: 15 minutes
- Diverge: 20 minutes
- Decide: 10 minutes
- Prototype: 15 minutes (sketching/planning)
- Validate: 10 minutes (discussion of validation approach)
When to use this template
When to Use Design Sprint Format
- Product design: Designing new features or products
- Problem solving: Tackling complex problems systematically
- Innovation sessions: Exploring new ideas and opportunities
- User experience: Improving UX through rapid iteration
Benefits
This format helps teams:
- Avoid analysis paralysis
- Test ideas quickly before heavy investment
- Align on solutions through structured process
- Focus on user needs throughout
- Make data-driven decisions
