Using Archetypes in Design Sprints to Inspire Product Development

Workshop 3 – Using Archetypes in Design Sprints to Inspire Product Development

In this fast-paced, hands-on session, you’ll be introduced to the Design Sprint: a collaborative, dynamic, and human-centered approach for design thinking. Originating from Google Ventures, the Design Sprint method champions creative, unfiltered thinking as designers work toward developing solutions for complex problems on tight deadlines. This workshop begins with an overview on how to create archetypes (user profiles that keep designers focused on nuanced and context-specific needs) from interview data. Next, working in small teams, we will complete a series of generative exercises leading to the design challenge – development of a wearable UVC device to disinfect everyday handheld tools used by healthcare professionals. The workshop involves five stages: defining the problem, ideation, aligning on solutions, rapid prototyping, and group critique. Along the way, you’ll learn generative ideation and alignment strategies such as “designing together, apart” and the “NOW-HOW-WOW” matrix. The workshop culminates with a presentation and critique of prototypes developed and discussion of best practices to adapt the Design Sprint methodology to a range of research and teaching scenarios. Led by an expert team of human-centered design researchers, this highly focused and immersive session will bolster the design researcher’s toolkit for user-focused ideation and empathetic approaches to the design process.

Workshop Facilitators:

• Millie Yates, Toronto Metropolitan University
• Kanishka Kumar, Toronto Metropolitan University
• Kirsten Schaefer, Wilfrid Laurier University
• Megan Strickfaden, University of Alberta
• Sandra Tullio-Pow, Toronto Metropolitan University
• Cesar Marquez-Chin, University of Toronto