JD Photography

Voting allows for our voices to be heard. I take any opportunity to vote seriously, because I want to be heard and I want others to be heard. It doesn’t matter if it’s for the presidency or a small-town school board, when there is voting, go, be heard.

Sprinting is no different. There are a lot of votes. Sometimes multiple votes. You even get multiple votes in the same election based on what propels us to our objective (answering the question).

In Sprint: How to Solve Big Problems and Test New Ideas in Just Five Days by Jake Knapp, John Zeratsky, and Braden Kowitz, they write, “Naturally, every person should have a fair opportunity to present his or her solution and explain the rationale behind it. Well… that may be natural, but you’re not going to do it.”

“Day 3 is all about picking a direction and going forward with it. Over the course of the third day of the Design Sprint, we will assess which parts of our designs are most successful and create a storyboard to show the steps that our target customer might take towards achieving the goal,” says Nathalie Bauerand in her blog Design Sprint Day 3: Decide, published on Ombulabs.com.

Introducing the “heat map.”

The rules are simple:
1. Don’t talk
2. Look at a solution sketch
3. Put dot stickers beside parts you like (if any)
4. Put two or three dots on the most exciting ideas
5. If you have a concern or question, write it on a sticky note and place it below the sketch
6. Move on to the next sketch, and repeat

Knapp, Zeratsky, and Kowitz write, “Together, all those dots create a “heat map” on top of the sketches – kind of like a heat map of the weather – showing which ideas the group finds intriguing.”

You’re voting isn’t complete. There is a discussion and not it’s time for a straw poll. All a straw poll is is an unofficial vote to test an opinion. Here, everyone gets one vote. After everyone votes there is time for a brief discussion as to why we voted the way we did.

I can go down the rabbit hole of detail and all the decisions that need to be made. The decider getting a super-vote that outweighs all other votes. The rumble if there are multiple decision makers. But I feel like that misses the point.

Having worked in teams my entire adult life I have never seen teamwork come together as quickly as I have here.

There’s no time for wishy washy opinions. There’s no time for, maybe we should try…

No! Bring your best, everyday. Your best ideas. Your best critiques. The best listening, questions, and answers. The team needs the best, and Ive seen it deliver the best. I’m a witness to seeing quite individuals transform into leaders in a sprint.

When I say vote so you can be heard, I believe it. Being heard builds confidence and confidence brings ideas. A sprint is where ideas are worth gold. I’ve seen people take ownership and lead because they were finally heard and acknowledged.