Design Sprint
A Design Sprint is a time-constrained, five-phase process used by teams to solve critical business problems through designing, prototyping, and testing ideas with customers. It was developed at Google Ventures and combines elements of design thinking, agile methodologies, and lean startup principles to rapidly validate solutions. The process typically spans five days, with each day dedicated to a specific phase: Understand, Sketch, Decide, Prototype, and Test.
Developers should learn and use Design Sprints when working on product development, especially in early stages or when facing complex challenges, to quickly align teams, reduce risk, and validate ideas before investing significant resources. It is particularly useful for startups, product teams, or cross-functional groups aiming to innovate, improve user experience, or address specific customer pain points efficiently.