Get Set to Sprint

Design Sprint

Jun 1

Have you ever rushed into something without preparing?

I have taken many meetings where I failed to prepare beforehand. It’s usually the same old story: life gets busy, leading me to procrastinate and put preparation aside. And then, when the day finally comes for the meeting, I tell myself that I’ll just “wing it.”

The issue in this process (or lack thereof) is that “winging it” does not work. I end up forgetting to mention things and fail to understand what is being discussed. I leave those meetings with a feeling of regret; knowing the time was unproductive and had greater potential that was wasted. All of this could have been prevented if I had simply just prepared.

In a Design Sprint, there is no time to waste. Preparation is an essential key, especially if there is a limited time frame. In order to maximize the opportunities in a sprint, it is important to prepare. In The Sprint Handbook, Pattie Belle Hastings writes that “The preparation of your Sprint determines the difference between a transformative innovation and a missed opportunity.”

This week, I prepared for a sprint that I am participating in. Together with my fellow sprint participants Taylor and Drew, we completed a series of activities to make sure we maximize our sprint to the fullest of its potential.

First Things First

The first step of meeting preparation is simple: scheduling the meeting.

The three of us decided on a date and time to have a recurring weekly sprint meeting. After collecting each other’s contact information, we created a group chat to make communication easier. We were able to easily decide on a date and time after discussing our availability, and pivoted quickly when we realized our initially-set date would not work.

One tip given in The Sprint Handbook is to send meeting invites for every meeting. “Send out invites for each day of the sprint” writes Hastings, “including any pre-sprint activities.” Following this advice, I sent out a calendar invite to the team. Since the sprint would be conducted virtually, I also made sure that a Zoom link was conveniently attached.

Sending calendar invites is helpful, as you can be sure that all members have been reminded of the meeting. According to Miro Miroslavov in a blog post for OfficeRND, “Good calendar invite etiquette helps to streamline workflows and promotes professionalism in the workplace.” In a sprint, staying within the limited timeframe is important, and sending calendar invites will help with our workflow throughout the entire process.

Setting up Miro

One of the tools my group will be using throughout our sprint is a program called Miro, which is a visual workspace where users can collaborate on ideas and projects. In Miro, information can be organized through a variety of different options, ranging from complex templates and diagrams to a simple sticky note. According to an article for Foundation Marketing by Ethan Crump, this “digital whiteboard” was valued at $17.5 billion in January of 2022. Miro is quickly becoming known for its capabilities, having been used by large companies such as PepsiCo.

The platform is not only easy to use and an effective integration into the overall process, but is also known as a “must-use” tool in the broader sprint community. One article written by Lauren du Plessis for Domestika lists Miro in her essential sprint list. Following in the footsteps of other sprinters, our team will be using Miro to visualize and document the entire sprint process from beginning to end.

For this pre-sprint meeting, we had a simple agenda which included coming up with some ground rules – or the more formal term, “agreements” – for the sprint, as well as the typical introductions. Keeping this schedule in mind, a Miro board was created with 4 different frames: one would be used to list the agreements on sticky notes, while each member would have one of the other three boards to use for themselves.

A screenshot of our Miro board after the pre-sprint meeting. Towards the end of our meeting, we added a fifth frame to include any additional notes that we discussed. Documentation is important – this is just one of several screenshots taken during the session!

Building a Strong Team

One of the main goals of the pre-sprint meeting is to not only prepare for the work that will be done in the days ahead, but also for the team members to familiarize themselves with each other. According to Jake Knapp in Sprint, “Each expert in the room will provide a key contribution… with the right team in place, unexpected solutions will appear.” Since everyone in the group will have an important role, it is essential to know about the people you will be working with.

We started our pre-sprint meeting by coming up with agreements. The first rule we came up with is one of the most essential for any sprint: no phones. “In a sprint, time is precious” writes Knapp, “and we can’t afford distractions in the room.” We then came up with other agreements, such as making sure to arrive on-time and equally participating in group efforts. One of the main agreements we came up with included carrying one’s own weight – being actively involved and 100% geared up to engage with the sprint.

After coming up with agreements, each took turns practicing active listening as each member shared their perspective on the challenges and benefits of working in a group. As one member asked the questions, another member answered, and the third member wrote down the responses in Miro using sticky notes.

Active listening is important, and ties in very well to the empathize step of the design thinking process. According to an article by the Interaction Design Foundation, “You should also listen to others open-mindedly rather than focus on points that confirm your biases.” Listening to my other group members share their honest opinions allowed me to keep my assumptions in-check. By understanding how my peers see group work as valuable and challenging, I can become a better group member by taking actions to make my participation in the sprint more beneficial to everyone involved.

Preparation Truly is Key

My sprint team is looking forward to tackling “Day 1” of the process.Through our pre-sprint preparation, we emerged more confident and ready for the sprint. Preparing for this task has ensured that we’re all on the same page and know what we’re doing.

It’s safe to say – never just “wing it” when it comes to preparation!