Join us in HEL
FOLLOW THE SPRINT CHALLENGE
A Nordplus funded intensive programme (IP) taking place online in Helsinki 2021 (26.04 -30.04). Follow our teams working on a real life client project, solving the client case by testing solutions in just five days.
The five day Sprint challenge
The Design Sprint is a five-day process for solving problems and testing new ideas. SPRINTINHEL follows the SPRINT process invented in Google by Jake Knapp and explained in his best selling book Sprint.
Monday: Map
On Monday, teams make a map of the problem.
Tuesday: Sketch
On Tuesday, each individual sketches solutions.
Wednesday: Decide
On Wednesday, teams decide which sketches are strongest.
Thursday: Prototype
On Thursday, teams build a realistic prototype.
Friday: Test
On Friday, teams test that prototype with five target customers.
Friday: Present
Finally teams present their results.
Generating New Ideas. Solving Big Problems
A client will be chosen for the Sprint and students will solve a problem the client is currently grappling with.
Kick off: Due to the Coronavirus restrictions SPRINTINHEL is a virtual sprint carried out online. Dates: 26.04 - 30.04.2021
Day(s)
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Hour(s)
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Minute(s)
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Second(s)
SPRINTINHEL TIMETABLE
Sunday
| HEL TIME | HIGHLIGHT | TASK | |
 |
18:00 | Team Building & Pizza |
Order a Pizza & join online to enjoy together. (SPRINTINHEL will pay for the pizzas.) Form Teams
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Monday
| HEL TIME | HIGHLIGHT | TASK | |
 |
10:00 | Start | Intro to SPRINT Process |
| 10:40 |
Start at the end Set a long term goal |
Why are we doing this: Goals | |
| List Sprint Questions | Pessimistic: How could we Fail? Turn Fears into questions | ||
| 11:20 | Map | Students map out the customers & key players on the left. Draw the ending completed goal on the right. How customers interact with your product. | |
| 12:00 | Consultation Time - 15 min | Teams consult with lecturers | |
| 13:00 | Lunch break | ||
| 13:40 | Ask the decider | Q&A Session with Cesim CEO | |
| 14:00 | Ask the experts | Q&A Session with Key Cesim Personnel | |
| 15:30 | How might we (HMW) |
Reframe problems as opportunities Use how might we notes |
|
| Organise & Vote | Review HMW notes & vote | ||
| 16:20 | Pick a target (one target customer) | Each team briefly presents their map & Cesim CEO confirms | |
Tuesday
| HEL TIME | HIGHLIGHT | TASK | |
 |
10:00 | Lightning Demos | Look at example solutions from a range of companies (can be in different industries). How do other companies tackle the problem. 3min per demo. Quick capture with drawing. |
| 11:30 | Divide or Swarm | Decide who sketches - divide (This is an exercise for sketching out solutions) | |
| 12:00 | Consultation time 15min | Teams consult lecturers | |
| 13:00 | Lunch Break | ||
| 13:40 | Sketch the solution | The four step sketch (techniques for sketching solutions) | |
| 16:00 | END | ||
Wednesday
| HEL TIME | HIGHLIGHT | TASK | |
 |
10:00 | Decide the solution | Team members vote on the solution |
| 12:00 | Consultation time 15min | Teams consult lecturers | |
| 13:00 | Lunch Break | ||
| 13:40 | Decide the solution | ||
| 14:00ish | Review | CESIM CEO joins to review the solutions | |
| 16:00 | - | ||
| 19:00 | SPRINTINHEL DINNER | Order a good quality meal & join online to enjoy! (meal paid for by SPRINTINHEL) | |
Thursday
| HEL TIME | HIGHLIGHT | TASK | |
 |
10:00 | Fake it | Create the prototype |
| 12:00 | Consultation time 15min | Teams consult lecturers | |
| 13:00 | Lunch Break | ||
| 13:40 | Fake it | Create the prototype | |
| 16:00 | END | ||
Friday
| HEL TIME | HIGHLIGHT | TASK | |
 |
09:00 | Prepare & Interview | Decide if your team are on track and can start later or need to start early at 09:00 and do the first interview. We also need to see how Wednesday has gone in terms of the amount of teams we have and how many interviewers (team members who interview users) are needed. |
| 09:20 | Inteview slot option (those starting early) | 40mins for interview + debrief | |
| 10:00 | Quick check in | Quick check in with lecturers | |
| 10:15 | Interview Slot | 40mins for interview + debrief | |
| 10:55 | Break | ||
| 11:05 | Interview Slot | 40mins for interview + debrief | |
| 12:00 | Lunch | ||
| 12:40 | Interview Slot | 40mins for interview + debrief | |
| 13:20 | Break | ||
| 13:30 | Interview Slot | 40mins for interview + debrief | |
| 14:10 | Break | ||
| 14:20 | Overall debrief | ||
| 15:00 | Results | Key results prsented to Cesim CEO |
Students’ Work
Our students work hard over the week, developing ideas, coming up with solutions to difficult problems and presenting their recommendations to the client.
Learning diary blog
Each student group creates a learning diary blog or entry for a day of their learning experiences during the week.
Previous years blog examples below
Students & Client Companies
We have organised other Nordplus IPs around entrepreneurship and innovation and here is what our student & clients had to say about the experience.
“We gained real knowledge in understanding how business actually works, how to use the Lean Canvas and to come up with innovative solutions.”
“We gained lot of innovative ideas and business models for our goal of encouraging increased sustainability in the North-East of Iceland with better utilization of resources and increased knowledge of how the community, the environment and economy can function together.”
“Academically the course has raised my interest in many aspects of business innovation and market segmentation principles. A total eye opener”
“I was impressed with the students review of our business and recommendations on how Lean Startup methodologies could aid our business to grow and enter international markets.”