PM Template - Design Sprint

Design Sprint
[Insert Title Here]
Template validated by Gaurav Hardikar, Head of Consumer Product HomeLight

Start Here!
1. Understand how to define your design sprints goals.
For the purposes of this template, we’ve outlined a 4-day design sprint based off of Jake
Knapp (author of The Design Sprint) and AJ&Smart’s model. But a sprint can run over a
longer or shorter time period. What’s important is that you run it within a defined time frame.
2. Prefer video content? Check out

How to Master Design Sprints by Google’s Product Team Lead
3. Run your design sprint!
Get all our Product Management Templates.

Day 0 > Prepare Project name
Outline the sprint
Problem
Define the main problem your product needs to solve and why it matters in the broader context of your company and the
market.
The team
Led by Decider Design

● The person The person with ● Name
facilitating the most decision power Marketing
design sprint. on this product.
(CEO; Product ● Name
Owner,
etc)Engineering
The tools ● Name
● In person tools: sticky notes or index cards, whiteboards, dot stickers, paper, timers, tape.
● Remote tools: a copy of this template, video or voice conferencing, a collaborative digital whiteboard.
Day 1
Define the challenge. Produce solutions.
Day 1 > Define the challenge Estimated time: 20 minutes
Expert interview
Instructions
Gather the entire sprint team in the same room or call. Starting with the Decider, ask each member of the team to answer the
following prompts. Each team member says their response out loud to the entire team, who take notes (see next slide for
further instructions on note taking). Prompts:
● Describe your product. What is it? What does it do? Who uses it?
● What is the problem your product is trying to solve?
● Who is using the product currently? Who would we like to use the product?
Expert interview
How might we? note-taking
We mentioned that, whenever not speaking, all members of the team will be taking notes. Here’s how.
1. Get ready. Give each team member a stack of sticky notes or index cards, and a writing utensil. If the sprint is
virtual, each should make a copy of the following slide.
2. Take notes. Write HMW (in reference to “How might we?”) in the upper left-hand corner of each card as you listen
to the answers of each question. As you listen to other team members, create a question in the format, “How might
we…?” This will encourage your team to turn challenges into insights and areas of opportunity.
3. Collect all the HMW cards in one place—be it a wall, table, or virtual whiteboard.
4. Create top-level categories from the HMW cards. These categories will reveal where the team is most
collectively focused.
5. Vote on the most important or urgent HMW cards. The Decider gets 4 votes, everyone else gets 2. Use physical
or virtual stickers to mark votes
6. Create a voting tree. Collect the cards with votes on them and order them from most votes to least votes. This is a
visualization of sprint priorities moving forward.
Day 1 > Define the challenge Project name
My notes: How might we?
How might we… How might we… How might we…

Group notes: How might we?
How might we… How might we… How might we… How might we… How might we…
Voting: How might we?
Drag a star to your

favorite questions.
Voting tree: How might we?
How might we…
How might we… How might we…

Define the sprint: long term goal setting
Instructions
Use the note and vote method. Instead of having a lengthy discussion, everyone individually writes their answers on cards.
We then collect the cards and vote.
1. Question. Barring any internal or external roadblocks, what will the product look like in 2 years time?
2. Answer. Each person should come up with only ONE goal.
3. Review. Gather the cards in one place and read what everyone has written.
4. Vote. One vote each. Everyone takes a vote EXCEPT the Decider.
5. Deciding vote. The Decider votes. They may vote for any of the goals, even if it didn’t receive any votes from other
team members (they can take this input into consideration, but ultimately they have the deciding power).
Whatever the Decider votes on will be the sprint goal.
Answer: Long term goal
In 2 years time… In 2 years time…

Vote: Long term goal
Drag a star to the

highest priority goal.
Decider vote
Define the sprint: sprint questions
Instructions
Using the note and vote method again, come up with questions that will be the focus.
1. Brainstorm. Look at the 2 year goal you just decided on. What could get in the way of the team reaching that goal?
Frame possible solutions in the form of a question. Come up with 2-3 questions starting with, “Could we…?”
2. Review. Gather the cards in one place and read what everyone has written.
3. Vote. Three votes each. Everyone votes, this time INCLUDING the Decider in the first round. Whittle options down
to the top three questions.
4. Deciding vote. The Decider takes one final vote on what will be the ultimate sprint question. You will address all
three sprint questions, but this is the one you’ll focus on the most.
Answer: Sprint questions
Can we…? Can we…?
Long term goal

Vote: Sprint questions
Can we…? Can we…? Drag a star to the

highest priority
questions.
Decider vote
Long term goal and sprint questions
Ultimate sprint question
Long term goal

Sprint question #2
Sprint question #3
Come back to this slide throughout the design sprint to keep the long term goals and sprint questions top-of-mind.
Instructions
The purpose of this map is to create a target for the rest of the sprint. It should not consume much time, and doesn’t need to
Day 1 > Produce solutions Estimated time: 45 minutes
be perfect or complicated. Don’t worry about user emotions, focus on clear actions.
1. Create
The a simple
Facilitator map
writes down top level categories for user touchpoints. Write these horizontally along the top of the
whiteboard or workspace.
a. The flow should end in the long term goal decided upon in previous activities. e.g. Discovery, learning,
using, goal.
2. Put the actor or actors on left-hand side. You should now have a matrix with categories along the top and actors on
the side.
3. The Facilitator will get help from the rest of the team to fill out the matrix with user touchpoints. The team will
suggest actions for each category and actor. Write down all ideas without debate—remember, this about getting
ideas flowing, not about being right!
4. Use the How Might We (HMW) cards from the previous exercise and place them along the map, in the
corresponding section.
5. Observe how to HMW cards are clustered and identify any patterns. Usually they will highlight a part of the map
you should use as an anchor point moving forward.
Day 1 > Produce solutions Project name
Simple map
Category 1 Category 2 Category 3
Touchpoint Touchpoint Touchpoint

Actor 1 Goal
Touchpoint Touchpoint
Actor 2 (optional)
Simple map with HMW cards
Category 1 Category 2 Category 3
How might we…

How might we…
Touchpoint Touchpoint Touchpoint

Actor 1 Goal
How might we…

How might we…
Touchpoint Touchpoint
How might we…
How might we…

Instructions
1. Individual research. Take 25 minutes. Each team member will search the web for products or services to use as
inspiration as a possible solution for our challenge.
Lightning
a. You don’tdemo: short
have to stay research
in your sessionawesome solutions in whatever industry you find them.
industry! Explore
b. Select 3 examples each. Write down the “Big idea” of each example.
2. Show off. Alternatively, one of the 3 demos could be a solution you’ve been working on.
3. Appoint note-taker. One person takes on the role of note-taker. The note-taker will write down the name of the
demo company and record any key takeaways. The note-taker can either sketch these notes or write them out.
4. Present. Each team member will share their 3 examples.
5. Display. Compile the notes or sketches from the lightning demo in one place.
Lightning demo: individual research
Big Idea #1
Big Idea #2
Big Idea #3
Lightning demo: notes
Notes Notes Notes Notes Notes

Instructions
Get a few pieces of paper and a pen. This activity is easiest to do with a physical pen and paper. If your team uses digital drawing tools or is
talented at quickly creating frameworks or prototypes through software such as Figma, feel free to use those tools instead.
1. 4-step
Notes. Take 10sketch
minutes to look over and take notes on the previous exercises. HMW’s, long term goals, sprint questions, map, and
lightning demos. Brain dump all thoughts you have about what’s been discussed so far. Write anything down that comes to mind; you can
even start by just copying what’s been said.
2. Ideas. Take 20 minutes. Look at your Step 1 notes and begin to turn them into tangible ideas. Think rough sketches, simple wireframes,
and way to highlight insights and half bake any ideas that have come up.
3. Crazy 8’s. Take 24-32 minutes. Use idea sketches from Step 2 to begin this exercise. See next slide for in-depth details on the Crazy 8s
exercise.
4. Solution sketch. Take 30 min. Tape 3 pieces of standard paper together. Create a 3-step solution explaining the best solution you’ve come
up with. You can include drawings and words. The solution should be self-explanatory—the meaning would be clear to someone looking
through it, even if you weren’t in the room to explain it. Don’t show it to anyone yet!
Go home! That’s it for Day 1. Save your solution sketch for the beginning of Day 2.
Day 1 > Produce solutions
Crazy 8s sketch
Instructions
1. Create a grid of 8 squares. Fold a piece of paper in half three times and unfold.
2. Go crazy. In 8 minutes, take 1 idea and draw a 8 different solutions for it. The Facilitator will tell you when each
minute is up. When that minute is up, you have to move on to the next drawing, even if you haven’t finished the one
you’re on. Try to keep drawing at all times!
3. Do it again! Repeat 2-3 times as needed by your team.
Day 2
Vote on solutions
Storyboard
Yes, this slide again Project name
Long term goal and sprint questions
Ultimate sprint question
Long term goal

Sprint question #2
Sprint question #3
Come back to this slide throughout the design sprint to keep the long term goals and sprint questions top-of-mind.
Day 2 > Vote on solutions Estimated time: 20 minutes
Heat maps
Instructions
1. The big reveal. Display the solution sketches from the end of Day 1 in a place where everyone can see them.
2. Reminder. Review the long term goal and sprint questions you defined yesterday. Remember the end goal and
major challenges! Make your decisions today through that lens.
3. Create heat. 20 minutes. The team will wander around and check out all of the concepts at their own pace. They
will each have an unlimited supply of dots (stickers or virtual) that they will place on parts of the solution sketch
they find interesting.
a. Be silent. Avoid discussing the solutions at this point in the process. If you have a question, write it down
and place it below the concept.
b. Be generous. Put lots and lots of dots! Your dots are unlimited. The more you find something interesting, the
more dots you should put.
c. Prepare. During this time, the Facilitator can walk go over the concepts to deepen their understanding. This
will come in handy in the next exercise.
Speed critique
Instructions
1. Appoint note-taker. We need another note-taker! As the speed critique occurs, the note-taker will jot down the big
idea for each concept and place the notes next to the corresponding concept.
2. Walk through. For each concept, follow the next 3 steps. The Facilitator gathers the team and takes them though a
concept. Give a concise summary of each concept, and note any area with a high concentration of dots from the heat
map exercise.
3. Answer questions. Then, the Facilitator will read aloud any questions under that concept. They’ll answer the
question if they’re able/if it’s a relevant question.
4. Open the floor. The Facilitator will ask the group, “Is there anything you voted on that I didn’t discuss? Is there
anything you voted on for a different reason than the one I mentioned?”
Heatmap visualization
Panel #2 Panel #3
Wireframe
Explanation
Question Question Question

Time to vote!
Instructions
1. First vote. Based on everything they’ve seen so far, each member of the team (except the Decider!) votes on the best concept to move
forward with for a prototype. Give everyone another sticker or dot. They’ll put their initials on the dot, and place it on their vote! They
have 5 minutes to vote.
a. Hot tip: when you vote for your concept, write down why you made that decision.
2. Pitch. Each member of the team will argue the case for the concept they voted for. Why should your choice be the one that’s prototyped?
Each pitch in 1 minute!
3. Super vote. The Decider decides. Give them 10 minutes to think through what’s been discussed, look through the concepts, or discuss with
the team.
a. Advanced super vote. Give the Decider 2 votes. One is for a concept, one is for a specific feature from another concept they’d
like to prototype and test within the first concept.
b. Super advanced super vote. Give the Decider 2 votes. They vote on 2 concepts, and you prototype and pit them against each
other in the next 2 days. Not for beginners!
You have your idea. Finally!

Day 2 > Storyboard Estimated time: 35 minutes
User test flow
Instructions
Organize the concept before drawing out the storyboard. The point of this exercise is to turn the concept into a linear story.
1. Action steps. Take 10 min. Copy the following slide for all team members. Each team member writes 6 action steps, on their
idea of how the user will move through the prototype.
a. Action steps are the actions users have to take to get to the next step in the storyboard. Where does the prototype
start? What’s the next step after that? Where does it end?
b. Take into account your simple map and sprint questions. These can help guide the action steps.
2. Present. 20 minutes. Each team member reads their steps out loud and presents them to the rest of the team. The Decider
goes first or last.
3. Vote. Take 5 minutes to vote on the best user test flow. Everyone gets one vote except the Decider, who gets 2.
a. The first Decider vote is for overall flow (they select the entire row). The second Decider vote is for an action step
from another row they’d like to bring into the test flow of that row and include in the prototype.
4. Finalize. Circle the winning flow.

Day 2 > Storyboard Project name
Write out your steps
Step 1 Step 2 Step 3 Step 3 Step 5 Step 6

Present the flow
Teammate 1, Teammate 1, Teammate 1, Teammate 1, Teammate 1, Teammate 1,



Vote the flow

Step 1 Step 2 Step 3 Step 4 Step 5 Step 6 Team votes.
Only take 1!

Decider votes

Identify the winner



Day 2 > Storyboard Estimated time: 90 minutes
Draw the storyboard
Instructions
Use the storyboard to iron out all the details and questions before prototyping tomorrow. Add detail, but not any new ideas. Online include things
you actively want to test in the prototype.
1. Appoint artist. Someone has to draw the storyboard. Appoint the team member with the best artistic skills or the most enthusiasm.
2. Structure. Create 8 cells on your whiteboard. Place the action steps from the previous exercise in the empty storyboard panels. There will
be fewer steps than panels—some action steps will require multiple panels.
3. Get inspiration. Look at ALL the concepts form the beginning of the day, even the ones you didn’t choose. See if any have graphic or
visual elements you can reuse or get inspiration from (i.e. login screen, something that won’t change too much from concept to concept).
4. Fill in the missing pieces. Complete whatever’s missing after you reuse the drawings from the concepts. For some structure, start with the
first cell, go to the end cell, then fill in the cells in between. Spend 8-10 minutes on each panel.
5. Workshop debates. If 2 team members are stuck on a particular panel or detail (i.e. wireframe, content, wording of copy), give them a
side task to finalize those details as the team moves on to the next panel .
Day 3
Prototype
Day 3 > Prototype
Prototype
Instructions
You made it to Day 3! Not all team members have to be in the room on Day 3, just the ones responsible for building out the prototype.
Remember—Don’t prototype anything you’re not testing! You’re only building pieces of the product or feature you want to test with
users. Keep it simple.
We’ll leave the details of building out the prototype to you and your awesome team, but here are some tips:
1. Find a quiet space. This is focused sprint time, so don’t let anyone interrupt! There will be time later for other stakeholders
to pop their head in the room.
2. Prioritize. Look at your storyboard and identify the priorities or key things to focus on.
3. Time box. Of your top priority pieces, decide how much time you need to devote to each one. Plan out your day accordingly.
4. Check-ins. When you plan your day, make sure to set aside time to solicit feedback! This is the moment people outside the
prototyping team can give opinions and ask questions.
Day 4
Test
Day 4 > Test!
User testing: setup
Instructions
1. Make your team. Yesterday you had a prototyping team. Today you have a user testing team! You need 2 people to
conduct user tests: 1 person to conduct the interview, 1 person to take notes.
2. The good, the bad. Note-taker: it’s your time to shine. Set up a note-taking system where you can easily mare
positive feedback and negative feedback. We recommend color coding.
a. Positive feedback: a user likes something, really understood what you were trying to do, easily arrived at the
action you wanted them to take, etc.
b. Negative feedback: a user dislikes something, something confuses a user, the user thinks something is
unnecessary, etc.
Day 4 > Test!
User testing: execution
Instructions
1. Getting started. Set aside 45 min to an hour for each user test. Make your user as comfortable as possible. If in person, offer them
something to drink or eat. If online, ease them into the conversation with non-testing conversation.
2. Hit record. You’ll want to record the test for future analysis. If the user is taking the test on their personal computer you can ask for
permission ahead of time to record their screen. You can get a lot of rich data from this!
3. Test! The initial testing questions also help make users feel more comfortable. These are questions they can easily answer, and will
set a baseline of their current habits or products they use. We’ll leave the questions in between for you to create!
a. A great question to end with is: “If you had a magic wand, what would you change to make this product the most amazing
product you’ve ever used?”
4. Fill out feedback wall. After each user test, record their response to each of the fundamental questions you wanted to test in a
feedback matrix. Go back to your sprint questions and testing priorities. How did they act in key moments? Did they take the actions
you hoped they would? Put the positive and negative notes you took during the test in this matrix.
Day 4 > Test! Project name
Feedback wall
User 1 [name] User 2 [name] User 3 [name] User 4 [name]
Demographic/ [Age, gender, job title, [Age, gender, job title, [Age, gender, job title, [Age, gender, job title,
Psychographic location, user persona] location, user persona] location, user persona] location, user persona]
Sprint question 1
Sprint question 2
Sprint question 3
Priority feature/
key action
Priority feature/
key action
Priority feature/
key action
Other
(additional comments from users)
Day 4 > Test! Project name
Key takeaways
You’re done! How did the design sprint go? Note down final thoughts with your team
What went well
When we did X it was awesome because...
What to improve for next time
Insert improvements here...

More resources!
Learn about
How to Utilize Product Design Sprints
by Blue Bottle Coffee PM
.
Or, dive deeper into Product Management with
our resource collection.
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Design Sprint

[Insert Title Here]

Template validated by Gaurav Hardikar, Head of Consumer Product HomeLight

2. Prefer video content? Check out

Get all our Product Management Templates.

Outline the sprint

Led by Decider Design

How might we? note-taking

My notes: How might we?

How might we… How might we… How might we…

How might we… How might we… How might we…

How might we… How might we… How might we…

Group notes: How might we?

Voting: How might we?

Drag a star to your

Voting tree: How might we?

How might we… How might we… How might we…

How might we…

How might we… How might we…

Define the sprint: long term goal setting

Answer: Long term goal

In 2 years time… In 2 years time…

In 2 years time… In 2 years time…

In 2 years time… In 2 years time…

Vote: Long term goal

In 2 years time… In 2 years time…

In 2 years time… In 2 years time…

Drag a star to the

In 2 years time… In 2 years time…

Define the sprint: sprint questions

Answer: Sprint questions

Can we…? Can we…?

Long term goal

Can we…? Can we…?

Can we…? Can we…?

Vote: Sprint questions

Can we…? Can we…? Drag a star to the

Can we…? Can we…?

Can we…? Can we…?

Long term goal and sprint questions

Ultimate sprint question

Long term goal

Category 1 Category 2 Category 3

Touchpoint Touchpoint Touchpoint

Simple map with HMW cards

Category 1 Category 2 Category 3

How might we…

Touchpoint Touchpoint Touchpoint

How might we…

How might we…

How might we…

Lightning demo: individual research

Lightning demo: notes

Notes Notes Notes Notes Notes

Notes Notes Notes Notes Notes

Notes Notes Notes Notes Notes

Notes Notes Notes Notes Notes

Long term goal and sprint questions

Ultimate sprint question

Long term goal

Question Question Question

You have your idea. Finally!

User test flow