At its core, design thinking boils down to five steps: empathize, define, ideate, prototype and test. But for some companies, including Chicago’s Pareto Intelligence, that basic framework is missing one key element: conversation.
“In my time at Pareto thus far, I’ve discovered that the single most important key to a successful sprint is open communication,” Lead User Experience Designer Lennox Prince told Built In Chicago.
At the healthcare solutions company, the normal process does more or less mirror design thinking, according to Prince. However, it also hinges on the ability of people across teams to provide feedback to one another and ensure the direction of the product is clear before moving forward.
Below, Prince divulged how the design team carries out a typical sprint, how communication is vital to the process and what successes the team has seen from the sprint model.
What does a typical design sprint look like for your team, and who is involved?
It consists of a five-step process where we dive heavily into understanding the product we are developing or making changes to. The phases of this five-step process are: understand, diverge, decide, prototype and review.
Truthfully, the structure of the Pareto community is key. Once the design team has a thorough understanding of all product features, we create an open communication channel that allows us to collect feedback from multiple cross-functional teams. This open feedback period is crucial to ensuring that we have a strong backing on the product's overall direction.
What is the key to a successful sprint, and why?
In my time at Pareto thus far, I’ve discovered that the single most important key to a successful sprint is open communication. During our daily standup meetings, we communicate very openly about what is working and what is not, and discuss the ways our team members can assist one another to make sure that our goals are accomplished on time and within spec.
This open feedback period is crucial to ensuring that we have a strong backing on the product's overall direction.”
What’s the coolest design that has come out of one of your sprints?
The most impactful idea that has come from the design sprints at Pareto has been the redesign of our web application. Not only did it enhance the feel and functionality from a user perspective, but it also created a foundation that has allowed other products to be built on top of it. It has received great reviews both internally and from our clients. If the outcome of this design sprint is only the beginning, I am truly excited to see the response to our future efforts.
