Design Sprint
A 5-day Design Sprint workspace for running Map, Sketch, Decide, Prototype, and Test in one shared place. Use it to align roles, capture decisions, and keep the sprint moving from problem framing to user-tested direction.
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Overview
This Design Sprint template is a 5-day workspace for teams that want to move from a problem statement to a tested concept without losing the decisions along the way. It includes role-based Members, sprint channels for kickoff, day-to-day coordination, decisions, test results, and retrospective follow-up, plus stage-based task lists for Map the Problem, Sketch Solutions, Decide on a Direction, Prototype, and Test and Synthesize.
Use it when the team needs to align quickly on a product direction, compare competing ideas, or validate a workflow before investing in build work. The Milestones and Hill chart help you see whether the sprint is on track, while the pinned resources keep the Sprint Brief, User Journey Map, Prototype Test Script, and Decision Log in one place. The integrations with Google Drive, Slack, Figma, and Zoom support the normal sprint flow from prep to interviews.
Do not use this template for broad roadmap planning, ongoing delivery management, or work that cannot be reduced to a testable prototype in a week. It is also a poor fit if the team has not agreed on the problem to solve, because the sprint depends on a clear brief and a committed DRI for each day. The template is designed to make the process visible, not to replace the thinking that has to happen before the sprint starts.
What's inside this template
Members
This section defines the sprint roles so every day has a clear owner and the team can work from a RACI-style structure instead of ad hoc participation.
Channels
These channels separate kickoff, execution, decisions, testing, and retros so the workspace mirrors the sprint workflow and keeps conversations easy to find.
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#kickoff
Sprint framing, challenge statement, goals, success criteria, and participant alignment.
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#day-to-day
Daily working channel for sketches, artifacts, blockers, and coordination during the sprint.
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#decisions
Decision log for chosen concepts, rejected options, assumptions, and tradeoffs.
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#test-results
User testing observations, interview notes, patterns, and synthesis from prototype tests.
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#retrospective
Sprint retro, lessons learned, process improvements, and follow-up actions.
Check ins
The check-ins set the cadence for blockers, progress, and post-sprint review, which keeps the sprint moving without extra meetings.
- Daily Sprint Check-in
- Weekly Sprint Retro
Milestones
Milestones show the concrete outputs the team should reach by each stage, making it obvious whether the sprint is on track.
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Sprint kickoff complete
Challenge, goals, and roles are aligned.
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Concept direction chosen
The team has selected a single solution direction to prototype.
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Prototype ready for testing
A realistic prototype is prepared for user interviews.
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User testing complete
All planned interviews are finished and findings are synthesized.
Task lists
The day-by-day task lists turn the sprint into a sequence of stage-based deliverables with a DRI for each step.
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Day 1 — Map the Problem
Clarify the challenge, map the user journey, and identify the sprint target.
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Day 2 — Sketch Solutions
Generate solution ideas individually and prepare concept sketches.
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Day 3 — Decide on a Direction
Review concepts, converge on one approach, and define the prototype scope.
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Day 4 — Prototype
Build a realistic prototype that can be tested with users on Day 5.
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Day 5 — Test and Synthesize
Run user interviews, capture observations, and synthesize findings into next steps.
Hill charts
The Hill chart gives the team a simple way to see where uncertainty is still high and where the sprint is nearing completion.
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Design Sprint Progress
Tracks the sprint workstreams from problem framing through testing.
Default apps
Default apps define the tools the team will use most often so files, prototypes, and meeting links stay close to the work.
Integrations
Integrations connect the workspace to the tools used for collaboration, design, and interviews, reducing manual handoffs.
- Google Drive
- Slack
- Figma
- Zoom
Pinned resources
Pinned resources keep the core sprint artifacts visible so the team can reference the brief, map, script, and decisions without searching.
- Sprint Brief
- User Journey Map
- Prototype Test Script
- Decision Log
How to use this template
- 1. Fill in the Members section with role placeholders such as Project Manager, Design Lead, Engineering Lead, Product Owner, Researcher, and Stakeholder so every sprint responsibility has a clear owner.
- 2. Post the Sprint Brief, User Journey Map, and any source files in the pinned resources before kickoff, then confirm the #kickoff channel is the place for agenda, scope, and decision framing.
- 3. Assign each day’s task list to a DRI and use the #day-to-day channel to track progress, blockers, and handoffs from Map through Test.
- 4. Capture all tradeoffs, approvals, and unresolved questions in the #decisions channel so the team can reference one decision log instead of scattered messages.
- 5. Run the prototype review and user interviews through the Zoom and Figma integration touchpoints, then record findings in #test-results and update the Hill chart.
- 6. Close the sprint by reviewing milestones, documenting lessons in the Weekly Sprint Retro, and converting the chosen direction into the next build or research step.
Best practices
- Keep the sprint brief narrow enough that the team can make one clear decision by Day 3.
- Assign a single DRI to each task list so ownership does not blur across design, product, and engineering.
- Use the #decisions channel for final calls only, and keep discussion threads separate from approvals.
- Photograph or export sketches and prototype screens at the time they are created so nothing gets lost between days.
- Write the test script before Day 4 so prototype testing is driven by the same questions for every participant.
- Update the Hill chart at the end of each day to make stalled work visible before it becomes a missed milestone.
- Keep the workspace default visibility limited to the sprint team when the concept is still under review.
What this template typically catches
Issues teams running this template most often surface in practice:
Common use cases
Frequently asked questions
What is this Design Sprint template for?
This template is for running a structured 5-day Google Ventures-style design sprint in a shared workspace. It gives you the channels, task lists, milestones, and pinned resources needed to move from problem framing to a tested prototype. It is best when you need a fast decision on a product direction, feature concept, or workflow. It is not meant for open-ended product planning or long-running project management.
Who should run the sprint and who should be in the workspace?
The sprint is usually run by a facilitator such as a Product Manager, Design Lead, or UX Researcher. The workspace members should be role-based, not person-based, so the cloning team can assign the right DRI for each stage. Typical roles include Project Manager, Engineering Lead, Product Owner, Designer, Researcher, and Stakeholder. That keeps ownership clear and makes the RACI-style handoff between days easier to follow.
How often should the check-ins happen?
This template is built around a Daily Sprint Check-in during the 5-day sprint, plus a Weekly Sprint Retro if the team wants to review the process afterward. The daily check-in keeps blockers visible and confirms the next day’s deliverable. The retro is useful when the sprint is part of a recurring product discovery cadence. If you are only running a single sprint, you can keep the retro as a post-sprint follow-up rather than a standing meeting.
What kinds of projects fit a design sprint template?
It works well for product concepts, onboarding flows, checkout changes, internal tools, service workflows, and other decisions that benefit from quick prototyping and user testing. It is especially useful when the team has competing ideas and needs evidence to choose one direction. It also fits cross-functional work where design, product, and engineering need a shared decision record. It is less useful for work that requires deep technical discovery before any prototype can be made.
How does this differ from ad-hoc brainstorming or a regular project board?
Ad-hoc brainstorming often produces ideas without a clear path to a decision or testable artifact. A regular project board tracks work, but it does not force the sprint sequence of Map, Sketch, Decide, Prototype, and Test. This template adds stage-based task lists, decision capture, and a testing workflow so the team can move from ideas to evidence in one week. That structure reduces drift and makes the outcome easier to review.
What should I customize before starting the sprint?
Start by replacing the role placeholders in Members with the actual sprint roles for your team. Then update the Sprint Brief, User Journey Map, and Prototype Test Script so they match the problem you are solving. You should also confirm the default visibility of the channels and decide which integration touchpoints will be used for files, prototypes, and meeting links. If your team uses a different cadence or naming convention, adjust the check-ins and task list titles before kickoff.
What are the most common mistakes when using this template?
The most common mistake is treating the sprint like a generic project workspace and skipping the day-by-day sequence. Another issue is leaving ownership unclear, which makes decisions stall in the #decisions channel. Teams also sometimes forget to pin the test script and decision log, which makes it hard to synthesize findings after testing. The template works best when each day has a clear DRI and a concrete output.
Can this template connect to the tools we already use?
Yes. The template already includes Google Drive, Slack, Figma, and Zoom as integration touchpoints, which cover the usual sprint workflow. Use Drive for the brief, journey map, and decision log; Figma for sketches and prototypes; Zoom for interviews; and Slack for day-to-day coordination. If your team uses other tools, you can swap or add integrations without changing the sprint structure. The key is to keep files and decisions easy to find in the workspace.
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