This was also the case for a large energy provider that wanted to simplify things for a target group that had previously been neglected. In short, the task was to facilitate the daily work of skilled craftsmen. Seven customer-side participants joined the first design sprint of their career. As a Design Sprint Lead, I accompanied the team of Ray Sono experts and customer staff along this path. Today, I’d like to tell you how this kind of process works – and why everyone should experience it.
Kickoff – 14 days to go before the design sprint
Few conference calls are as much fun as the kickoff for a design sprint project. Although project employees are usually not very motivated, and at best, simply sceptical, the anticipation of five days of a sprint and “a different kind of work” is clearly noticeable despite crackling connections – just for that, the effort is worthwhile. And yes, a design sprint takes effort. But think about it: the last time you developed a product, how long did it take you to get from identifying the customer’s needs to making the actual prototype? It’s the same thing.
But our client has done their homework and can give us qualitative and quantitative data about the target group of “skilled craftsmen” and their behaviour. The company has nominated its sprint participants from its own ranks and is already starting to look for testers among its own customers. Our client earns a gold star for this! It’s the guarantee that the five sprint days can be used with maximal productivity.
Monday
Exploration – when everyone finally knows what they really know
The first sprint day is intense! At the end of it, not only do we want to know the specialist craftsman and their wishes and problems down to the last detail, but also all the names, hobbies, and traits of the sprint participants.
Much of the magic of a design sprint comes from setting colleagues who have never worked together at a table and having them share their knowledge. Our crucial question is: “Who exactly is this skilled craftsman, and what daily tasks cost them the most time and nerves, and why?” Thanks to our experienced sprint team, we end up with two portraits of craftsmen and four hypotheses about their biggest challenges and the causes of these. Not all the findings are completely new, but we are creating a holistic and jointly understood picture of a previously underestimated target group for the first time – as well as the urgent desire to better meet their needs in the future.
Tuesday
Idea & sketching – how product ideas arise, although I can’t draw
The analytical work of day one is followed by the creative phase. Or, first, the usual blockades (“But I can't draw!”). But once the comfort zone has been found again, more and more ideas take concrete form – first in the mind’s eye and then on paper. The team brainstorms until the post-it notes have run out. The specialist craftsman and the easing of their everyday life are at the centre of the ultimately 68 innovation ideas, which range from app-based training sessions on the construction site to automated assistance systems.
The key to “creativity at the touch of a button” is the result of appropriate methods, inspiring impulses, and explicit permission to transcend the limits of fantasy. The hypotheses of day one serve as a starting point and common theme. Regular prioritisation sessions help systematically develop the most promising ideas. Now, the drawing and sketching of concepts, user flows, and interfaces happen almost automatically.
Wednesday
Prototyping, part one – the obligation to focus
Few conference calls are as much fun as the kick-off for a design sprint project. Although project employees are usually not very motivated, and at best, simply sceptical, the anticipation of five days of a sprint and “a different kind of work” is clearly noticeable despite crackling connections – just for that, the effort is worthwhile. And yes, a design sprint takes effort. But think about it: the last time you developed a product, how long did it take you to get from identifying the customer’s needs to making the actual prototype? It’s the same thing.
But our client has done their homework and can give us qualitative and quantitative data about the target group of “skilled craftsmen” and their behaviour. The company has nominated its sprint participants from its own ranks and is already starting to look for testers among its own customers. Our client earns a gold star for this! It’s the guarantee that the five sprint days can be used with maximal productivity.
Thursday
Prototyping, part two – the day the candy jar can never be empty
A sprint week can suddenly be quite short. Especially when it’s just starting to be really fun. Page layouts, navigation paths, texts and images must be polished so that the prototype is as self-explanatory as possible. The focus must always be on the original hypotheses regarding the problems and solutions from day one. After all, testing should not only show whether the product idea is good, but also why (or why not). Those who scrutinise cause-and-effect chains seldom develop projects that disregard the user. Sounds simple, but it’s always a great aha experience for all participants.
Within hours, while images of products that don’t yet exist are feverishly being created, the sprint team’s snacks are dramatically decreasing! In joint feedback loops, the team repeatedly discusses the working statuses, brings together information and makes the final decisions for or against detailed components. This is undoubtedly the most intensive day of the design sprint week in terms of calories and results.
Friday
Testing – nothing for late sleepers and weak nerves
If you want to test solutions for skilled craftsmen, you have to get up early. Very early! And be prepared for spontaneous rejection. Testing with real representatives of the customer target group is the highlight of every design sprint. In the case of skilled craftsmen, it is also complicated because their schedules are full and customer emergencies come first. Nevertheless, we manage to collect real feedback on our four product ideas. Supported by an interview guide, we not only learn that today’s skilled craftsmen know their way surprisingly well around the digital world, but have also learned how merchandise management and construction site logistics actually work – in contrast to some of our assumptions.
Between five and six user tests usually take place as part of a design sprint. They give us qualitative insights and initial assessments; a business case cannot be expected yet. Nevertheless, the feedback clearly shows where the potential lies. In our case, two out of four ideas qualified for further elaboration and testing on the next larger scale. This is a good orientation when it comes to distributing innovation budgets in a targeted and effective manner. And by the way, we learn first-hand how our target group ticks, what drives it, and how it sees its own future. And we also find out that there was much we didn’t know yet. That’s a whole lot of input for a Friday night at 5:00 p.m.
Seven days later
The life of this large energy provider has returned to normal working speed, meeting density, and paper consumption. The results of the sprint week have been cleanly prepared and accepted by the sponsor, and the team is richer by at least one professional and personal experience.
Design sprints are hardly suitable as a permanent mode, but they are part of the standard repertoire of every innovation and product development department. Ultimately, it is up to them to determine how (and how quickly) the sprint results are applied and whether the ideas actually become reality. At any rate, for the skilled craftsmen, there will be further product tests up to simulations on construction sites.
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