The agile response to the challenges that arise in a Startup is a fundamental part of its growth. That is why from the COR Product and UX teams we are constantly researching and applying methodologies to add to our day-to-day work.
During the last months we implemented Design Sprints into our processes, a methodology developed by Google Ventures, which began to be used in 2010.
Combining business strategies such as, User Research and Design Thinking among others allows for defining a problem and validating ideas to find solutions in just 5 days. This methodology can be used in various ways depending on the objectives sought, of course; Here we will tell you how we apply it in COR.
Weeks prior to the implementation of said methodology, we devised the action plan, prepared the materials and defined the team that will take part. This last point is crucial for the Design Sprint to pay off: the people involved in this process must have all their concentration and efforts put into the tasks of the sprint.
As a second step we coordinate the space where we will work; It is essential that the workspace provides an atmosphere of relaxation and allows a fluid communication channel between its participants. This space will be the receptacle of all the information that comes out of the common learning; It must be an environment that allows creativity and initiative to be put into practice.
People from different areas of the company are involved in the process. We try to make sure that that there is always a reference from each area to have different views about the product and the problem we decide to tackle.
Before starting, it is essential to explain to each of the participants what the methodology consists of, what its objectives are and what role the facilitator will play.
Each day of the Design Sprint presents different challenges and goals. Below we will briefly describe how we approach each of them:
Monday – Goal Charting
The day the sprint begins, the objectives are set. Problems are outlined and it is defined which one will be covered in the week. It is important that each participant shares everything they know about it so that they start from the same knowledge base. Then we frame the scope of the solution to be developed, to keep the team focused. Also this day a slogan is set as a task for the space: to create a survey that helps us find possible solutions.
Tuesday – Searching for Solutions
The second day is to find solutions to the problem defined the day before. At this stage we think individually in a divergent way. We begin to download the ideas into sketches that must be self-explanatory, in this way we ensure that what we think is the same as what the rest of the team is understanding. Ideas are shared, empowering each other.
Wednesday – Defining Flows
The great wealth of ideas generated the day before are essential. It is from there that the ideas that are most useful for meeting the long-term objectives are defined. Prototypes are made with the solution flow and the best of each is selected through voting. From there the to be carried out are defined. In the event that doubts have emerged between 2 possible solutions, both are developed to be tested.
Thursday – Prototyping
On this fourth day the prototypes are constructed that will be tested through usability tests. The prototype must be ready in one day, so we make sure it has only what is necessary to validate or refute the ideas; by way of hypothesis. In this stage the work is divided, to achieve the high-fidelity design of the prototype and to elaborate the script that we will use in the tests of the following day.
Friday – Usability Testing
Finally on Friday, we will conduct usability tests with COR clients. In some cases we extend the tests a few more days to get more feedback. In these tests we discover the strengths and weaknesses of the prototype and how users feel when they use it. From these, we focus on the solution we will deliver.
From each Design Sprint we get surprising ideas and results. The vision of each one of the participants contributes a great diversity of ways of thinking, which enrich the solutions that finally reach our clients. Furthermore, collaborative work and communication between the different areas of the company are encouraged.
The COR Product and UX Team
