How We GUARANTEE Design Sprint Success

At AJ&Smart, we’ve run 100s of design sprints with some of the world biggest companies. We’ve run Design Sprints with Adidas, HSBC, Lufthansa and even Google (where the Design Sprint originated). So it’s safe to say, we’ve had a lot of experience and we take our Design Sprints pretty seriously.
In this video, we share how AJ&Smart now operates an optimised Design Sprint package that promises better results every sprint!
This video is perfect if you're running Design Sprints, looking to sell Design Sprints, Implement Design Sprints in your organisation or simply curious as to how we structure them at AJ&Smart.
If you have any questions about the Design Sprint package, how we run and sell them, or anything at all about the Design Sprint in general, just pop your question in the comments and we'll get back to you!
Check out our FREE 1.5 hour free training on the Design Sprint here:
ajsmart.com/freetraining
Follow us on Instagram: / ajsmartdesign
Check out all our other social media channels here: linktr.ee/ajsmartdesign
We are AJ&Smart, a design agency based in Berlin. We are crazy about Design Sprints and innovation and we teach everything we know right here on KZbin. If you want to learn more about how to run the best Design Sprint EVER, subscribe and we'll help you every step of the way.
Don't forget to subscribe to our channel to make all our dreams come true!!
How We GUARANTEE Design Sprint Success (2019):
• How We GUARANTEE Desig...

[@AJSmart]

Hey! What questions do you have about the 4-week Design Sprint package?! What tips do you have about running or selling Design Sprint?! Please share your thoughts in the comments below ↙️ . Also, check out some of our other recent video releases here: . 1️⃣Why is EVERYBODY running Design Sprints? - kzbin.info/www/bejne/baCsp32FfM2Jmc0 . 2️⃣Our Essential UX Design Tools - kzbin.info/www/bejne/Z3fciIZ-qJ6CmLc . 3️⃣UX / UI Skills MOST Designers Ignore - kzbin.info/www/bejne/anfGoXmqmL2gpNU

[@Nati1478]

It's ironic that you used the word "package" ... while Pierce's package was obviously prevented from stealing the show 😂😅😆

[@AJSmart]

@@Nati1478 Hahahah, it' comes up so often in videos where it's in the background we thought we'd try a lil meme style coverup...

[@Nati1478]

@@AJSmart fair play! AJ&Smart is a serious biznezz after all!

[@AJSmart]

@@Nati1478 Super serial!

[@bas.andrii]

AJ&Smart can you plz also share how many people from your team work for the client during the each 4-week stage and how much time (on average). Which roles (e. g.: Designer, Business Analyst, etc) do you need for each stage? And how do you price that for the client? Thanks a lot 🙏🙏🙏

[@michaelplishka3227]

This more fleshed-out version of the design Sprint is very similar to the process I use for ideation sessions. Can't overstate the value of a preparatory phase, and building upon the main event , so to speak, does indeed keep momentum going in a project!

[@1986titaniumv]

This is great and informative material, love the spirit behind it!! I had a quick Q for ya! What helps make a strong deliverable that Designers can hand over to a development team, to reduce the chance of developers making changes from the original designers concept?

[@josegonzalez570]

Great video! Regarding the customer journey map during pre-flight, how does your team gather the empathy/ feelings your customer's users feel about the product, given you haven't actually done any in-depth product research? Also, do you only capture the screen/ digital experience in the map (assuming the project is for a website/ app), or do you also consider in-person touchpoints that relate to the product/ challenge you are being tasked to explore? Thank you and keep up the great work!!!

[@Itsnotsaladcom]

Amazing Set Styling and Branding... love your channel!!!

[@AJSmart]

Thanks so much Randy!

[@RajeshArtSwim]

great work team! very relevant, useful and entertainingly delivered!

[@AJSmart]

Thanks Rajesh, glad it was useful for you!

[@TheBartalamey]

I'm simple man, i see Britany i smash like button. She just emit positive vibes. XD

[@AJSmart]

Glad to hear!

[@steelstunners1862]

Your hair is amazing Britney! When I'm watching the video I am unable to take my eyes off of its golden shimmering majesty.

[@AJSmart]

Haha we'll pass that on!

[@josetrave]

Hey Brittni! My main question is how do you contact and make the User Interviews? On site with real target users or via an online platform such as User Testing? Also, do you provide the client with an stablished Design System in Week 3? Thank you! You guys rock!

[@benmacl]

Something I'm trying to figure out is how you deal with questions that require a tonne of complexity and research.Questions that would take a whole different workshop to explore and decide on. Right now I think I approach it by talking about "zoom/detail level" and using parking lots.

[@sheldon9968]

Hi AJ&Smart, thank you guys so much for this insightive design sprint. Could you provide more info on the pre flight week? I believe it's important because it kinda sets the pace for the whole sprint.

[@AJSmart]

Hey, sure thing, we're looking into doing a video on the Pre-Flight and Delivery weeks, there's already an iteration week one in the works! Stay posted!

[@sheebad]

Hi Team, Do you'll follow the same process for product enhancement as well?

[@lianataylor1067]

Can you go into more detail on the pre-flight week? How much time do you spend there exactly? And what do you do? Also how does your pricing compare now to the previous offering?

[@AJSmart]

Hey Liana, sure, we'll be creating a video soon on the iteration week, and can look into doing an overview on the preflight and delivery weeks too! We spend roughly 4 days in the pre-flight researching the client and competitors etc. Also formulating a rough Map for the week 1 Sprint. Pricing has changed from running the initial one week Design Sprint, we'll see what we can share in the videos though 😉

[@rubinpfeifer3407]

Hi guys How and where do you advertise your design sprints (other thant this video)?

[@lakshmeanantharam6548]

Have u guys invalidated any ideas during or after (at the end of) the design sprint? If done, what steps are taken after that? How the team responds, or how you manage the team with their response? Kindly make a video on that

[@Beerscooter]

Do you use this approach for all clients, or is this the XL version for clients that want to spend more / go more in depth?

[@AJSmart]

Hey Laurent! Great question. We ONLY sell Design Sprints in these 4 weeks packages now. We find we can offer so much more to the client and offer a much more concise service.

[@seanmcnally6658]

A side question. What is happening with the time timer? Were the edit sequences out of time sequence or were you timing each section and then editing?

[@AJSmart]

Hey, you have a keen eye! Yeh there were a few cut points and we re-jigged the order of how we presented the info, so the timeline jumps around a little....Also it was a prop that still had batteries in... :(

[@narih3]

Hey, I have a question concerning the Heart framework which is referred to the Success metrics & signals since I would like to add it to the design sprint for next week I was wondering if you have any hot tips on how to setup this method in the design sprint and how to make the decision on what the metrics and signals are. I think I will contact you directly via email too since it is pretty urgent. ;)

[@tijmenbrouwers]

Hi AJ&Smart. Are you planning on doing a more in-depth video on the iteration sprint? This video already gives a nice insight but I would love to know some more about all the juicy details! Thanks for the great video!

[@AJSmart]

Hey Tijmen, you betcha! We've got one in the works and it'll be out soon! Is there anything you want to know in particular and we'll see if we can get it included?! Thanks!

[@tijmenbrouwers]

​@@AJSmart I love the video Jonathan did about: "DESIGN SPRINT 2.0 PROCESS EXPLAINED 2018". Getting a step by step guide of everything you do within the 4 days gives a really nice overview. Would be great to have that as the base for the video. The next most interesting thing would be a little bit more of a deep-dive into the Monday in particular: Are there things about the ideation part of the Monday that are specifically focused on/tweaked for iteration/improving on what's already prototyped. Also how do you go about recapping the feedback and picking the top 3 challenges? How do you determine what's most valuable to validated next? 🙃

[@AJSmart]

@@tijmenbrouwers Hey Tijmen, this is very useful thanks! We realise there's a LOT of curiosity about the iteration week, particularly on the Monday Workshop day. We'll get this included in the upcoming video for you! Stay posted! And thanks for taking the time to feedback all this!

[@rabinsharmaluxuryking]

It would be so nice, eagerly waiting :)

[@jamiewatson7574]

I see that it's been a few month since the replies. Curious if there's been progress towards a video targeted specifically at the iteration sprint.

[@saraelisa8938]

Hey, guys!! :) :) Yes, this whole package sounds definitely more complete and convincing for clients to take on Design Sprints. However, I was wondering how can you sell a Design Sprint to a small business with say max 7 employees in the office? Generally, all the people who should be involved have no susbtitutes at work, especially the decision-makers, therefore this would mean nobody is running the business for a full 8hr work week or even more in case there's an Iteration Sprint as well. This is what blocks me into trying to sell them in my city. I know you generally propose to have decision-makers only the first 2 days, but for such a small business you end up kind of being forced to have them during the whole time. It would take a critical situation for a CEO to "pause" the business for 1-2 weeks to do this. How would you handle this? Thank youuuu 😊❤️

[@AJSmart]

Hey Saraelisa! Great question and this is something that comes up again and again. Team wise it's important to have people that represent the different business areas of the organisation you're working with, so someone from Design, sales / marketing / ideally some of the key 'product owners'. IF you can't get a decider for longer periods of time, it can be a case of insisting they're there for the first day, or morning at least, and if they absolutely have to leave early then they they have to appoint someone else to make the decisions in their absence and trust that these can be implemented. The process will not work if they come back in at the end of the week and veto everything. They have to trust in the process! That's a great line to use to sell it too! Hope this helps?!

[@saraelisa8938]

​@@AJSmart Yes it makes sense, thank you!🙏🏽 In this case it would be necessary to have the minimum number of people required for the Sprint and _ideally_ , no one vetoing the whole thing at end of the Sprint 😅

[@Calumrussell88]

Premier Pro -> Mosaic Effect -> Apply = NICE!

[@AJSmart]

And a new Meme is born!

[@saraelisa8938]

Caluuum! Are you, you?? I mean THE Calum, the master of video editing at AJ&Smart?? I'm only writing it here but wanted to do so in earlier vids too: your video editing style is hilarious! You really make this whole learning journey very special. Thank you, Calum! All you guys are a dream team! All the best :)

[@AJSmart]

@@saraelisa8938 hahah it is indeed! I've given the game away now! But thanks, I really appreciate that! Glad you're enjoying it, lot's more to come 🥳

[@hanabisenju9051]

That mosaic is applied on the screen rather than on the actual paint?! How wild is that paint??

[@puytalde9469]

Hi Aj&Smart! With this Sprint 0, does this mean that mapping now happens before we come up with HMW? Or there will now be a separate activity for user journey map in Sprint 0 and another mapping activity in the DS proper? Thanks! ü

[@AJSmart]

Hey Puy👋We do go into the Sprint with a map already drawn... but it's just a starting point and the team is able to add/subtract anything they like. It's nice to go into the mapping exercise with something already prepared since it can often be a tough exercise to actually "start". Once you have some thing down on paper, the team is much more eager to make corrections/additions. Hope this helps?

[@puytalde9469]

AJ&Smart, got it! makes sense! thanks! and good job for another awesome video! ✋🏽👏🏽 😊

[@AJSmart]

@@puytalde9469 Thanks so much! Glad you enjoyed it!

[@nkh81782]

Can a design sprint work for an entire website build? Or does it mostly just work for fixing specific problems in a traditional product or software?

[@AJSmart]

It can totally work for a build like that, It's great for getting a big project started, or fixing an existing service / product that's lost momentum or focus! Let us know if we can be any further help?

[@GiancarloFalconiCanepa]

What Is "The USP"?

[@steelstunners1862]

Is the 4 week process covered in the sprint masterclass?

[@AJSmart]

Hey! The Masterclass does feature a section on the Iteration Sprint, and also features downloadable resources that relate to weeks 0 and 4 (Pre-Flight and Delivery) but focuses more on Design Sprint facilitation, how to run and host all the exercises and how to execute them successfully. The 4 week process generally draws on a lot of existing Design Sprint exercises, the Iteration week for example features a number of key DS exercises, in a different structure / order. We'll be releasing a video on the iteration week soon, and will look into a deeper dive video where we explain weeks Zero and Four!

[@puytalde9469]

sorry just a realization after x number of times i watch this video.. What was it that you realized that made your team say, after this added sprints (sprint 0, specifically), we were more prepared to do the actual design sprint session? Is it more on the inclusion of a persona? Or something else

[@jameelsomji5074]

Has a solution that you have prototyped ever just ended up being an efficient failure? As a result, the client doesn't end up developing the solution, but rather you have saved them a lot of time and money on working on something that's not viable/feasible/desirable?

[@justinewert2166]

3:08 for Design Sprint goodness 🤩👌

[@AJSmart]

Though people might like that slide haha

[@rawansaadeh5995]

Loved the content! Thank you for your valuable videos, you guys are amazing. Can I suggest something? I think having the speaker use a white board to explain steps is easier to follow than static slides. But that's just me! I think continues talking would zone me out. Examples are the: DESIGN SPRINT 2.0 | STORYBOARDING HACK | Aj&Smart by Michael - that was cool! That's my suggestion, you don't have to take it, just wanted to let you know! Thank you again, can't wait for more videos!

[@AJSmart]

Hey Rawan! Great suggestion we really appreciate all feedback on our videos! We'll take that on board, it's a great way to present information. Thanks for watching and glad you enjoyed.

[@matuskothai]

Please drop the pixorship on your poster ;) And stop messing with my mind with your pomodoro stopwatch :P

[@AJSmart]

haha we just wanted to make a meme out of all the comments we get about it!

[@matuskothai]

@@AJSmart :D OMG, what have I gotten myself into? :O Well, if I have to become a part of someone's meme... let it be you, I don't mind ;)