What is a Design Sprint?
The Design Sprint is a proven methodology for solving problems through designing, prototyping, and testing ideas with users. It essentially compresses months of time into a single week.
Originally developed at Google Ventures (GV) by Jake Knapp, the process cuts out the endless debate cycle. Instead of waiting to launch a minimal viable product (MVP) to understand if an idea is any good, you get clear data from a realistic prototype.
Key Takeaway: A Design Sprint gives you a superpower: You can fast-forward into the future to see your finished product and customer reactions, before making any expensive commitments.
The Classic vs. The 2.0
There are currently two major ways to run a Design Sprint. The Classic 5-Day Sprint (from the original Sprint book) and the updated Design Sprint 2.0, which condenses the work into just four days.
The Updated 4-Day Process (Sprint 2.0)
Design Sprint 2.0 is an optimized version of the process that allows teams to get the same results in less time. By restructuring the exercises, you can free up Friday entirely.
Monday: Map & Sketch
The Shift: In the classic version, Monday is just for mapping and Tuesday is for sketching. In 2.0, we do both in one high-intensity day.
In the morning, you define the challenge and map out the user journey. By the afternoon, you dive straight into sketching solutions. This keeps the momentum high and prevents over-thinking.
Tuesday: Decide & Storyboard
The Shift: Tuesday is now dedicated to making decisions. You review the sketches from Monday, vote on the best concepts, and then spend the afternoon creating the storyboard.
Storyboarding is often the hardest part of the sprint. Dedicating a full afternoon to it (rather than rushing it on Wednesday morning) ensures your prototype plan is solid.
Wednesday: Prototype
The Shift: Wednesday is pure execution. Because the decision-making is finished, your team can spend the entire day building the realistic prototype.
You adopt a "fake it 'til you make it" philosophy. You are not building functional code; you are building a facade that looks real enough to get authentic reactions from users.
Thursday: Test
The Shift: Testing moves from Friday to Thursday.
You interview five customers and watch them react to your prototype. By Thursday evening, you have your answers. You know what works, what doesn't, and what to build next.
Friday: Free?
In the 2.0 model, Friday is left open. You can use it to summarize the findings, plan your next steps, or simply let the team return to their regular work. This makes it much easier to get stakeholder buy-in, as key executives only need to commit 2-3 days of their time rather than a full week.
Which one should you run? If your team is new to sprints, the 5-day version offers more breathing room. If you are experienced or short on time, the 4-day 2.0 version is superior.
Why It Matters
Whether you choose the 4-day or 5-day version, Design Sprints are the ultimate risk-reduction tool. Before you write a single line of code or launch a marketing campaign, you validate whether you are solving the right problem for the right people.
