Leaders who work on complex topics to drive change will have to face a reality in which more than one right approach or solution exists. This usually leads to them having endless discussions with their teams, and not making any real impact. That’s why at Limelights, we believe that the way to progress is to devise experiments that are safe to fail. Enter sprints!
What are sprints?
Unless you’re still working in the 20th century, you’ve probably already heard of agile and scrum: methodologies designed for self-organizing, cross-functional teams to develop solutions on a fast, iterative basis. At the heart of these methodologies are sprints.
Sprints have been successfully used to address a variety of complex challenges, from redesigning homepages, to tackling cancer immunology research.
Here’s what a sprint session looks like:
Why use sprints?
At Limelights, we also use the sprint methodology in our own work with clients. Want to know why?
💟 Sprints are human-centric
You won’t find solutions to your challenges without putting your people and their ideas at the forefront. Through sprints, you unlock your Do Good power by mobilizing teams, getting laser-focused on your goals, and saying goodbye to endless discussions and blind decision-making.
⏰ Sprints save money and time
Small teams that sprint are more likely to deliver a real impact as they simplify the decision-making process, and can work to tight deadlines. Large teams on the other hand, are more focused on discussions, process, governance, and PowerPoint presentations. That’s why they don’t stand a chance against their agile counterparts.
🔎 Sprints give focus
Sprints are all about building a shared understanding of a challenge. This focus on outcome rather than process allows teams to see what’s really important, and uses concrete data and prototyping instead of acting on single anecdotes from leaders or employees. As a result, they become laser-focused and ensure you spend your time on the right things.
🏀 Sprints offer opportunities for collaboration
Sprints come with a lightning speed turnaround time. This gives way for faster feedback loops, more opportunities for collaboration, and higher productivity. Also, sprints are a pretty egalitarian process; there’s no place for ego.
🔥 Sprints give your business a competitive advantage
As business environments become more fast-paced and more uncertain, the ability to quickly mobilize teams is critical. By simplifying the decision-making process, building a shared understanding of the challenge, and creating faster feedback loops, you won’t just save your company unnecessary costs(!), but you’ll also make your business more resilient.
Curious to learn more about sprints by Limelights?
