Design Thinking vs Design Sprint: A Comparison

To an unprepared person, design thinking and design sprint may seem very similar. This is not entirely correct, as these two concepts indeed share many commonalities. However, if you want to create a successful product, you need to understand the difference between these two methods. 

Let's Recall: What is Design Thinking?

Much has been said and written about design thinking since it became popular at Stanford University in the 1980s, and a decade later the creative agency IDEO introduced it to the business world. Design thinking is best defined as a human-centered design methodology that incorporates empathy and creativity to create solutions that stand out. This problem-solving and solution-seeking methodology helps development teams create innovations for the global market.

The design thinking process consists of step-by-step stages that guide you from defining the problem itself to finding the best possible solution:

• In the Empathize stage, you listen to the needs of the target audience, helping you understand their perspective.
• In the Define stage, you use data obtained from users to understand the problem and ensure your solution addresses it.
• Ideate stage: Here you unleash your creativity and generate possible solutions to the problem.
• Prototyping. At this stage, a working prototype is created that embodies your idea.
• Testing. You test your prototype to identify what works and what doesn't.

The ideate, prototype, and test stages can be repeated until a creative and practical solution to the problem is found.

The design thinking method, focused on listening to users, understanding their needs, and applying that knowledge to create solutions for complex problems, has proven to be a method that has stood the test of time. In fact, the design thinking methodology became the ground from which a new approach – the design sprint – was born.

What is a Design Sprint?

The design sprint emerged around 2010 as part of the Google Ventures program, which invests Google's money in startups. And this is a case where the origin best explains the essence and core purpose of the concept.

It's no secret that responsible investing is not just about handing over money to potentially successful startups. It also involves mentorship to help new companies grow. So, Jake Knapp and his colleagues at Google Ventures came up with a fast method that helped them test startup ideas and prepare them for growth. That was the design sprint.

A design sprint is a five-day process for cross-functional teams, based on the design thinking methodology, aimed at testing a business idea, developing, or redesigning a product.

The design sprint process is very intensive but interactive. It consists of five main stages:

• Map. At this stage, the goals of the entire sprint are defined. Gather all available data about the problem statement, customer profiles, and any other relevant information obtained from previous user research rounds. Create a user journey map and define the project scope. Remember that the design sprint is aimed at solving only one specific problem.
• Sketch. In the design sprint model, the ideation process is often conducted in the form of a sketching workshop. During the workshop, you create hypotheses and assumptions based on collected data. At this stage, ideas are generated and key success metrics are defined.
• Decide. Team members vote for the best idea. This can be done through open discussion or silent voting.
• Prototype. Create a prototype of your solution. Choose what exactly you will build based on your team's skills and time constraints.
• Test. Test your assumptions with real users. Find out if the potential solution works.

After these five main stages, you evaluate the results with stakeholders and users. Identify areas for improvement for the next iteration or release.

The design sprint methodology allows you to achieve the optimal solution to a business problem with the least amount of time and resources. Among the successful products created thanks to the design sprint are Slack, Twitter, and many others.

The design sprint remains most popular among startups. But that doesn't mean only early-stage companies can use it. The beauty of the design sprint is that it scales well regardless of team or company size. It's a simple framework that allows you to overcome complexity and get straight to the point.

The biggest fans of this method often compare it to a cooking recipe – its steps are so precise, clear, and fast. You can take the philosophy and tools of design thinking and apply them to a product within a design sprint in just a few days.

Now let's take a closer look at the similarities between design thinking and the design sprint.

What Do Design Thinking and Design Sprint Have in Common?

The design sprint is a process that combines the work of other methods such as Agile, Lean Startup, Customer Development, but mainly design thinking. You wouldn't be entirely correct if you said that the design sprint is just one of many ways to apply design thinking.

Like design thinking, the design sprint is an approach to generating ideas, innovation, and solving problems based on a high level of collaboration. Both methods are used by cross-functional teams and help them answer important questions through design, rapid prototyping, testing, and instant user feedback.

At first glance, the processes of design thinking and design sprint may not seem close. But in fact, their stages (even if named differently) overlap or have similar goals.

Design Thinking vs Design Sprint: Key Differences

The main difference between these two methods is that design sprints are used to solve specific problems, while design thinking is applied to solve general problems. Design thinking is more of a general philosophy for problem-solving, while design sprints are a method for creating a prototype under time and resource constraints. Let's compare these two approaches:

Given all the similarities and differences, it can be confusing to decide which one to choose for your project.

When to Use a Design Sprint vs Design Thinking?

The key is to understand the difference between these two methods and apply design sprint or design thinking where they are most effective.

Design thinking will be most useful when you notice an opportunity that can improve people's lives. This methodology is aimed at out-of-the-box thinking, allowing you to find truly innovative solutions.

Use design thinking when the idea of a product/service or any complex problem is still raw. The methodology will help define the problem itself and find a creative solution. One of the main advantages of design thinking is a deep understanding of your audience. The understanding gained from users leads to more successful and lasting projects. Apply design thinking when you want to create fundamentally new products and you have the time and resources to invest.

The design sprint is a mini express version of the design thinking method. Some even call it the design thinking sprint. It works best when the problem or idea is already defined. The design sprint is largely business-oriented. It effectively answers a direct business question: "Will this idea work in the market?"

The design sprint is particularly useful when you are limited in time and resources, as it allows you to test your idea in just one week. Design sprints are also very effective when you unexpectedly receive market insights in your niche and want to check if they apply to your product, or when you encounter a blocking factor and need to break through to a solution.

Of course, you can use both design thinking and design sprints, especially if you are working on a large project. Combined, these methods yield even stronger results.