Sprint: How to Solve Big Problems and Test New Ideas in Just Five Days
Uncover the surprising science of working faster and smarter by breaking free from endless debate and turning skepticism into momentum
About This Book
Sprint reveals a transformative, step-by-step process for solving tough problems, sparking innovation, and making tangible progress—in just five days. Readers learn how to assemble the right team, carve out focused time, and rapidly prototype ideas, leading to clear answers and real results. Using vivid real-life stories from Google, startups, and diverse industries, Sprint makes intimidating challenges exciting and conquerable. Whether you're a business leader grappling with uncertainty or a student eager to launch an idea, this hands-on guide shows how to test big questions fast, eliminate the cycle of endless meetings, and generate powerful, actionable data. With Sprint, you’ll fast-forward your work and discover a new level of clarity, creativity, and accomplishment.About the Author
Jake Knapp is a renowned design leader, venture investor, and innovation facilitator who spent years perfecting the design sprint process at Google, Google Ventures, and with top Silicon Valley startups. Alongside experienced collaborators John Zeratsky and Braden Kowitz, he has run over a hundred sprints with teams tackling everything from cancer diagnostics to coffee startups. With a pragmatic yet experiment-driven mindset, Knapp has helped countless organizations break through inertia, prioritize meaningful work, and deliver real results fast. He’s passionate about teaching people to work smarter, not just harder.
Biggest Takeaway
Readers will finish with the confidence and tools to tackle high-stakes challenges with speed and creativity, even amidst uncertainty. By applying the Sprint methodology, you’ll learn to silence distractions, channel team energy, and replace guesswork with real customer feedback. Expect to shorten timelines for innovation, make stronger decisions, and improve both personal and organizational productivity. Most importantly, you’ll foster deep team alignment and a bias toward action—leading to measurable gains in efficiency, morale, and impact.
Key Insights from This Book
Explore the most important ideas and learn how to apply them in your life.
Why Brainstorming Is Overrated and What Actually Sparks Breakthroughs
Why Focusing on the Surface First Fast-Tracks Winning Solutions
Why Short, Focused Sprints Outperform Months-Long Projects
Why Decisions Shouldn’t Be Democratic—And How the Decider Model Accelerates Progress
How Goldilocks Prototyping Uncovers Real Customer Reactions Without All the Work
Why Five Customers Can Tell You More Than 1000 Survey Respondents—The Power of Small Data
How Asking 'How Might We?' Transforms Complaints Into Creative Opportunities
Why Building Diverse, Small Teams (and Including the Troublemaker) Spurs Stronger Results
How Structured Decision-Making with Dot Voting Sidesteps Groupthink and Speeds Clarity
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