Sprint

288 pages, 2016

Jake Knapp

Takeaways

Description

Jake Knapp’s book, Sprint, was written as a distillation of his insights from 100+ design sprints run with Google Ventures. The book is a working methodology that helps UX designers, product managers, and teams solve huge problems in just five days.

Think of it as old-school design thinking on crack. When Sprint was published in 2016, it overhauled many dated project management processes in lieu of Google’s faster, smarter approach. Knapp’s goal with this book is to help you design and build better products faster.

The Power of Timeboxing

In Sprint, Jake Knapp introduces the concept of timeboxing. This is a technique where you allocate a fixed time period to a specific task. It's a great way to stay focused and productive. So, next time you're overwhelmed with work, try timeboxing. You might be surprised at how much you can achieve.

The Importance of Prototyping

Knapp emphasizes the importance of creating a prototype. It doesn't have to be perfect, but it should be good enough to test your idea. This way, you can get feedback early and make necessary changes before investing too much time and resources. So, don't be afraid to build that rough draft.

The Five-Day Sprint Process

The book outlines a five-day process for solving big problems and testing new ideas. Each day has a specific focus, from mapping out the problem to conducting user tests. This structured approach can help you tackle any challenge, no matter how big or small. So, why not give it a try?

The Role of a Decider

In any sprint process, Knapp highlights the need for a 'Decider'. This person makes the final decisions and keeps the process moving forward. It's a crucial role that ensures the team doesn't get stuck in endless debates. So, if you're in a team, see who would be the best fit for this role.

The Value of User Testing

He also stresses the importance of user testing. It's all about getting your prototype in front of real users and observing their reactions. This can provide invaluable insights and help you refine your idea. So, don't skip this step, it could be the key to your success.

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Sprint offers a transformative formula for testing ideas that works whether you’re at a startup or a large organization. Within five days, you’ll move from idea to prototype to decision, saving you and your team countless hours and countless dollars.

Eric Ries - Entrepreneur, Author

Sprint offers a practical guide to answering critical business questions. It’s about a disciplined and flexible approach to solving problems and reducing risk.

Tim Brown - Design Thinker

Sprint offers a path to solve big problems, test new ideas, get to solutions faster, and ultimately achieve success.

Sheryl Sandberg - Facebook COO

Sprint is a book about surmounting business challenges using a simple set of principles and methodologies. It’s a must read for any entrepreneur.

Brad Feld - Venture Capitalist

Sprint shares the key to navigating the chaotic, challenging, and uncertain waters of starting and growing a company. It’s a practical guide to the very nature of creation.