Dec 13, 2024 7 min read

The Design Sprint at Castle Anthrax and The Ministry of Silly Walks

Greetings, adventurous innovators and champions of change!

Imagine, if you dare, a realm where time bends like a rubber spoon and ideas spring like coconuts from African swallows: welcome to the fantastical five-day design sprint hosted by none other than Castle Anthrax and The Ministry of Silly Walks. This isn’t your average corporate retreat; it's an epic quest to forge a prototype so splendid that even Sir Bedevere would stop to ponder its engineering.

The Purpose of Our Quest

Why, you ask, do such esteemed institutions embark on this swift and spirited adventure? Two goals light our way through this perilous journey:

To Validate the Whims and Wonders of Our Creation: Here in the hallowed halls of Castle Anthrax, technical feasibility isn't just about making sure the potion boils; it's about ensuring it enchants the marketplace with its dazzling effects.
To Harmonize the Scrolls of Strategy with the Agile Scrolls: Aligning the strategic incantations of Castle Anthrax with the nimble spell-casting techniques of The Ministry of Silly Walks, our goal is to concoct a prototype that not only captivates but also withstands the rigorous trials set forth by potential users and soothsayers by week’s end.

Thus, our tale begins—not with dragons to slay nor princesses to rescue, but with a mission so daring that even the bravest of squires might hesitate. But fear not! For the path, while fraught with peril, promises rewards of insight and innovation that few dare to dream. Join us as we chart the course of this bold expedition, where ideas are the treasure and creativity the compass.

Cast of Characters and Their Noble Pursuits

Role	Who	Why Important	Key Activities Throughout the Sprint
Decider	Sir Decision-a-Lot & Lady Choosington	Ensures key decisions are made swiftly and surely.	- Day 3: Select the solution to prototype. - Day 5: Make decisions post-user testing. - Keep the team moving, avoiding the swamps of indecision.
Facilitator	The Grand Timekeeper	Keeps the quest on track and ensures every voice is heard.	- All Days: Manages time and encourages participation. - Day 1-2: Harness insights and catalyze ideation. - Day 3: Steer structured decision-making.
Product Expert	The Visionary Scribe	Chronicles the needs and strategies of the product realm.	- Day 1-2: Helps define the problem and sketches potential solutions. - Ensures alignment with the grand vision and customer needs.
Technical Expert	The Archmage of Logic	Wields the arcane arts of feasibility and function.	- Day 3-4: Assures the prototype’s functional viability. - Provides sage advice on technical matters throughout the prototype's construction and review.
Customer Experience Expert	The Empath of End-Users	Brings forth the voice of the populace into the realm of prototypes.	- Day 1: Identifies user quandaries and distress points. - Day 4: Ensures the prototype addresses these actual user needs and desires.
Additional Specialists	The Guild of Extraordinary Insight	Each a master of their domain, be it marketing alchemy or data divination.	- Day 1: Provide specialized knowledge on esoteric challenges. - Offer continuous feedback during prototype development, focusing on their niche expertise.

Each role, while outlined with the precision of a bard’s verse, is fluid like the ale at a tavern—roles may blend and responsibilities may overlap in the true spirit of collaboration. Our brave ensemble will journey together, their skills complementing each other, as they navigate the perilous yet exhilarating path of creating something truly magical.

Stay tuned as our tale unfolds, charting the progress of these spirited adventurers through the rigorous trials of their design sprint. It's a journey of creativity, timed to the tick of a metronome, yet as wild as the gallop of a horse!

Day-by-Day Breakdown

Monday: Set the Stage

Focus: Understand the Problem and Set Goals

10 a.m. - Introductions and Overview: The valiant members of Castle Anthrax and The Ministry of Silly Walks gather under the mighty banner of their Facilitator, The Grand Timekeeper. The sacred ritual of introductions commences, followed by a robust overview of the five-day quest that lies ahead.
10:15 a.m. - Vision Questing: Our heroes set forth to define the grand objective of their quest—pondering where they wish to be not just in the morrow, but in six moons or even a year hence. They identify the perils and dragons (risks) that might impede their path and discuss strategies to vanquish them.
11:30 a.m. - Mapping the Realm: With quills in hand, they sketch a map of the kingdom—the flowchart of customer interactions from the mystical beginning to the triumphant end.
1 p.m. - Repast (Lunch Break): A brief respite for mead and sustenance.
2 p.m. - Consult the Sages: The team summons both internal and external sages to enrich their map with ancient and modern wisdoms. 'How Might We' queries transform sinister problems into glittering opportunities.
4 p.m. - Organize and Prioritize: The collected 'How Might We' scrolls are organized into themes; their importance voted on through the democratic process of placing ye olde sticky notes.
4:30 p.m. - Choosing the Grail Quest: The noble Deciders, Sir Decision-a-Lot and Lady Choosington, select the most critical customer and moment to focus their energies on for the remainder of the week.

Tuesday: Sketch Solutions

Focus: Generate Creative Ideas

10 a.m. - Lightning Demos: The team reviews ingenious solutions from the annals of other companies and captures the essence of inspiration to fuel their own creative fires.
12:30 p.m. - Divide or Swarm: Decision time on which parts of the map each brave soul will explore and sketch.
1 p.m. - Repast (Lunch Break)
2 p.m. - The Four-Step Sketch: A structured artistic frenzy ensues—notes are taken, ideas are brainstormed, and then refined. The Crazy 8s challenge: eight variations of the top idea sketched in just eight minutes. The session culminates in a detailed storyboard of the chosen solution.

Wednesday: Decide

Focus: Select the Best Solution

10 a.m. - Sticky Decision Process: A veritable art museum of solutions is erected. Each sketch is voted upon, critiqued, and the most promising are chosen through a straw poll. The Decider then wields the power of the Supervote to select the ultimate solution to prototype.
11:30 a.m. - Divide Winners from "Maybe-Laters": The victorious sketches advance, while others are tabled for future quests.
1 p.m. - Repast (Lunch Break)
2 p.m. - Crafting the Storyboard: The chosen path is laid out in a 15-step storyboard, detailing every twist and turn of the user’s journey with the product.

Thursday: Prototype

Focus: Build a Tangible Prototype

10 a.m. - Choose Your Weapons: The team selects the fastest, most flexible tools to construct their prototype, emphasizing speed over perfection.
Throughout the Day - Divide and Conquer: Roles are assigned—Maker, Stitcher, Writer, Asset Collector, and Interviewer. Together, they rapidly build the prototype, ensuring consistency and coherence.
3 p.m. - Trial Run: An internal test to identify any dragons still lurking within the prototype’s mechanisms.

Friday: Test

Focus: Test the Prototype with Real Customers

Morning - Set Up the Research Lab: Two chambers are prepared—one for interviews, the other for the team to observe the trials.
Throughout the Day - Five-Act Customer Interviews:
- Friendly Welcome: Ease the customer into their quest.
- Context Questions: General inquiries pave the way to more focused interactions with the prototype.
- Introduce the Prototype: The customer engages with the prototype; their interactions meticulously observed.
- Tasks and Nudges: Specific tasks are attempted; nudges are given to delve deeper.
- Debrief: Final thoughts are gathered and the customer is thanked for their valor.
End of Day - Review and Reflect: Insights are collated, patterns identified, and plans for future development are forged based on the wisdom gathered from the day’s trials.

Each day of this grand adventure is meticulously planned to ensure that by the end of the week, our intrepid heroes have not only a tested prototype but a clearer vision for their journey ahead. Join us as we continue to narrate their progress, filled with intrigue, innovation, and a touch of whimsy!

FAQ: Sprints at Castle Anthrax and The Ministry of Silly Walks

Q: Can we run a one-, two-, or three-day sprint?
A: We don’t recommend it. Compressing the schedule won’t leave enough time for prototyping and testing, and can lead to burnout.

Q: How about a four-day sprint?
A: Maybe. If you have experience with five-day sprints, you can compress the first three days into two. However, keep a full day for prototyping and testing.

Q: Is Friday’s test a focus group?
A: No. Focus groups rely on group dynamics and collective opinions, while Friday’s test is based on one-on-one interviews with direct feedback.

Q: Can knights from Castle Anthrax really stay focused enough for a full sprint?
A: Absolutely, as long as the Holy Grail of project objectives remains in sight. Just ensure there's ample mead and minstrels to maintain morale!

Q: How does The Ministry of Silly Walks integrate their techniques into the sprint?
A: With great dexterity! Expect creative brainstorming sessions where walking in unusual manners is not only encouraged but required to stimulate out-of-the-box thinking.

Q: Can we run Friday’s test remotely?
A: Yes, but extra care is required. You’ll need to ensure smooth video conferencing, prepare guides for customers, and work harder to engage them.

Q: Can we test our prototype with fewer than five people?
A: No. After four interviews, patterns are hard to spot. Five interviews usually reveal clear patterns.

Q: Should we ever interview customers before a sprint?
A: Yes. Pre-research is helpful, especially when you’re starting from scratch. If possible, conduct some interviews before the sprint.

Q: Can we run a sprint with team members in different places?
A: Maybe. Remote participation is tricky. You can include team members for key moments via video conferencing, but steps like prototyping work better in person.

Q: Can we stop after the "Decide" step?
A: No. It’s tempting, but ideas that seem perfect on Wednesday may prove flawed after Friday’s testing. Prototyping and testing are critical to validate assumptions.

Q: Do sprints work for hard-to-prototype products or services?
A: Yes. On Thursday, we’ll build a prototype that looks real but focuses only on what’s needed to test. We create a "façade" ready for customer feedback by Friday, compressing what normally takes months into a day.

Q: Will there be coconuts available for use in prototype demonstrations at Castle Anthrax?
A: Indeed, coconuts are an essential part of any demonstration at Castle Anthrax, providing sound effects that no budget could otherwise support. Just remember to practice your coconut horse-riding skills beforehand!

This light-hearted approach ensures that even the most rigorous of sprints retains a touch of whimsy, true to the spirit of Castle Anthrax and The Ministry of Silly Walks.