Solve problems as a team in just two hours – for product managers

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TLDR

Imagine solving big product problems in just two hours instead of five days. Sounds impossible, right? Not anymore! Teresa Cain has cracked the code with her two-hour design sprint method. This quick and efficient approach to product innovation is changing the game for companies big and small.

In this article, we’ll explore:



* What a two-hour design sprint is and how it works

* Why it’s a game-changer for product teams

* How to run your own two-hour sprints

* Tools that make rapid innovation easier

* Real-world examples of two-hour sprints in action



Get ready to supercharge your product development process and leave your competition in the dust!

Why Speed Matters in Product Innovation

In today’s fast-paced world, product teams are always racing against the clock. The traditional five-day design sprint, made famous by Google, has been a go-to method for solving tough problems. But let’s face it – not everyone has five whole days to spare.

That’s where the two-hour design sprint comes in. It’s like the espresso shot of product innovation – quick, powerful, and gets the job done. But can you really solve complex problems in just 120 minutes? Teresa Cain says yes, and she’s got the results to prove it.

The Two-Hour Design Sprint: A Crash Course

So, what exactly is a two-hour design sprint? Think of it as a mini-version of the five-day process, but supercharged. Two hours is not a big time commitment, and it helps you get a group of stakeholders all together to solve a problem. Here’s how it breaks down:

1. Get to Know Your User (30 minutes)

First things first – who are you solving for? This step is all about understanding who your user is.

Example:

Imagine you’re designing a new dashboard for a fintech app. You need to know if you’re building it for an analyst who’ll use it daily or an executive who might look at it once a year. Big difference, right?

2. Dig into the Problem (30 minutes)

Now that you know your user, it’s time to get to the heart of the issue. What’s bugging them? What’s standing in their way? This is where you’ll use the classic “How might we…” question to frame the problem.

Example:

For our dashboard, we might ask, “How might we create a dashboard that helps analysts quickly spot trends and take action?”

Perhaps users are spending a lot of time on manual tasks. Maybe they’re popping between screens. Maybe they are using their mobile device or not even on a desktop computer. Maybe they’re moving buildings while they’re doing their different tasks.

3. Brainstorm and Choose Solutions (60 minutes)

This is where the magic happens. After you’ve thought about the problem as a group, you ideate and pitch your concepts as a group. Everyone puts their thinking caps on and starts throwing ideas around. At the end of the sprint, you will vote on the best solution and decide if you want to move forward to testing and prototyping.

Why Two-Hour Sprints are a Game-Changer

You might be thinking, “Sounds great, but does it really work?” According to Cain’s research, the answer is a resounding yes. Here’s why two-hour sprints are shaking things up:







Benefit

What It Means for You





More Sprints, More Solutions

Run up to 52 sprints a year instead of just a few





Budget-Friendly

Less time and money spent compared to five-day sprints, but similar results





Team Bonding

Brings people together more often, improving communication





Faster Results