Create an Inclusive space for Creativity
Find the Right Space
Creativity is sparked in spaces that are open, full of light, and have available surfaces for working and documenting. We highly recommend flexible spaces where you can move the furniture and re-configure the space for different activities. Most importantly, you will need lots of whiteboards and/or usable walls for tacking up the content created during your Design Sprint.
Neither conference rooms nor lounges are ideal for the creative work that Design Sprints entail. If your Design Sprint requires prototyping of physical objects, access to the necessary tools or equipment is essential. Not everyone has access to the ideal Sprint Space, so do the best you can.”
Gather Your Supplies
You will need the following supplies for your Design Sprint:
- 1 Sharpie per person, plus a few more
- 1 pad of sticky notes per person
- 1 drawing pen per person
- 10 sheets of paper per person
- 1 roll of tape
- 1 pair of scissors
- 2 whiteboards per team or large sticky pads
- 1 set of colored whiteboard markers
- Prototyping materials as needed
Choose an Ice Breaker
Not to be overlooked, icebreakers set the tone, build familiarity, and create a safe space for people to problem solve together. Whether your Design Sprint brings together colleagues who have never met or a tight-knit team, use your icebreaker to facilitate introductions and to jump start creative thinking and focus. Here are a few icebreakers we recommend.”
Set the Stage
Opening the Design Sprint with ground rules is a powerful way to confirm expectations with all participants. They also help keep a Sprint running in the right direction and on-time. Here are a few examples:
- Confirm that participants will be present for the entire Design Sprint
- Share the agenda and schedule
- Outline good behavior, such as no phones