Top 10 Design Sprint Templates for Researchers

For researchers, Design Sprint offers a structured, time-constrained methodology to solve complex problems through designing, prototyping, and testing ideas with users. A Design Sprint Notion template could streamline this process by providing a framework that ensures each stage of the sprint is executed efficiently, enabling researchers to focus on generating insights rather than managing the process.

Before you start crafting your own Design Sprint template, consider exploring these templates to simplify the process.

What Should Design Sprint Templates Include?

Choosing the right Design Sprint template can significantly streamline your project's design phase. Here are key components to look for in a high-quality template:

  1. Clear Objectives: Ensure the template outlines specific, achievable goals. A good template sets the stage for the sprint by defining what success looks like.

  2. Timeline and Phases: It should include a detailed timeline that breaks down the sprint into manageable phases, each with its own set of activities and milestones.

  3. Roles and Responsibilities: A comprehensive template will clearly assign roles and responsibilities to team members, ensuring everyone knows their tasks and how they contribute to the project.

  4. Resources and Tools: Look for templates that provide a list of necessary resources and tools to facilitate the various activities during the sprint.

Selecting a template with these components will help you maximize efficiency and foster a collaborative environment throughout your design sprint.

What Should Design Sprint Templates Avoid?

Choosing the right Design Sprint template is crucial for streamlining your project's workflow. However, certain elements can hinder rather than help your process. Here are three key components to steer clear of:

  1. Overly Complex Instructions: Templates should simplify the design sprint process, not complicate it. Avoid templates that include dense, hard-to-follow instructions that can confuse team members.

  2. Fixed Time Frames: Flexibility in scheduling is vital for a design sprint's success. Templates with rigid, non-adjustable timelines can restrict creative flow and team dynamics.

  3. Generic Goals: Each design sprint should have specific, tailored goals. Avoid templates that generalize objectives, which can lead to unfocused efforts and subpar outcomes.

Remember, the best templates are those that provide clarity and flexibility, helping your team focus on innovation and efficient problem-solving.

1Design Sprint

This template is designed to help design teams continuously track and iterate on their projects, from creative sprints to finished projects based on user feedback.

A template preview for Design Sprint

2UX Project Structure

This template provides the perfect starting point for a New UX Project. Use the structure proposed in it to start documenting your project and slowly unpack the design problem space you're solving for.

A template preview for UX Project Structure

3Designers Project Management

A Notion project management template for designers.

This template provides a focused space to manage your daily design projects and tasks.

What's included:

✔ Project management system

✔ Task management system

✔ Project planning

✔ Task tracking

✔ Task prioritization

✔ Task deadline tracking

✔ Project progress tracking

✔ Task progress tracking

✔ Customizable workflows

A template preview for Designers Project Management

4Definition of Ready Checklist

The Definition of Ready (DoR) is a crucial concept in agile development that outlines the criteria a user story must meet before it can be implemented. This checklist will provide teams with a comprehensive framework for effectively defining the DoR and by following it, teams can ensure that user stories are well-prepared, reducing ambiguity and improving efficiency.

A template preview for Definition of Ready Checklist

5Merci Grace's remote brand design sprint

Merci Grace is the former Head of Growth at Slack and Partner at Lightspeed Ventures. Her brand sprint template, inspired by Google Ventures' , turns an intimidating creative process into something collaborative and fun. Kick things off with this sprint and give your remote team the tools you need to start defining your brand.

This template is just one of Merci's many product development templates, all of which .

A template preview for Merci Grace's remote brand design sprint

6Prototypes testing questions

7 questions to test your prototype
This template is based on questions I often use when it comes to test new ideas with customers.
These questions work with almost any type of prototype be it a storyboard, a lego prototype, a role-play session a paper prototype or a digital one.

You can change everything in this template to make it your own.

A template preview for Prototypes testing questions

7UX Playbook

Clear steps to improve your UX process. Ready-to-use templates such as Project Kickoff, Customer Journey Map, Concept Testing, and more, helping you to optimize your workflow. Solutions that can be applied to any UX project.

A template preview for UX Playbook

8RICE Framework

Welcome to the RICE Framework Notion Template – your ultimate tool for prioritizing projects and tasks effectively. Inspired by the pioneering work of the Intercom team, this template is designed to streamline your product management process, ensuring that your team focuses on work that maximizes impact and value.

RICE stands for:

Reach: How many people will this impact?
Impact: To what extent will this contribute to our goals?
Confidence: How sure are we about these estimates?
Effort: How many person-hours will this require?

The template guides you through a structured process to score your projects and features, allowing you to make data-driven decisions on what to prioritize next. With an intuitive layout and comprehensive scoring system, you’ll be able to assess your initiatives' potential with clarity and precision. Dive in and discover how to optimize your product's impact with our RICE Framework Notion Template.

A template preview for RICE Framework

9Designer Project Tracker and Client Portal

Powered by the new Notion projects feature, this template helps designers and design studios manage tasks across projects. It also comes with an inspiring and on-brand client portal where all client conversations, feedbacks and approvals take place. All project resources and references are also organized in the client portal. A full walkthrough of the template can be found here: https://youtu.be/LOngru5hZXg

A template preview for Designer Project Tracker and Client Portal

10Graphic Designer Notion

Here everything is in one space. Work and creativity. Everything is in your hands. What you will find here are books, inspirations and working phases. You want one button for everything, jobs, freelancer tools, easy search engine and so on. You will find intelligence that is free, Free AI tools, gives you a lot of resources and does your work, giving you time to do more and achieve your goals. Easy payment system and many more that you can see with your eyes. books that contain - Books on what design is, history of design, and formulas on how to develop vision, vision in the field where creativity only revolves. Books on Psychology, How to Manage People and Win Friends, How to Make Strong Arguments and Let's be deep thinkers, Meditation, How to Win Any Argumentative Matter, and Be an Outstanding Thinker of Intelligence. These books cover a range of topics, from developing mental strength and resilience to managing interpersonal relationships and developing a strong sense of self. The self-realized soul is neither attached to nor detached from anything. He simply lets things be, knowing they are all an illusion." - Ashtavakra Gita

A template preview for Graphic Designer Notion

Closing Thoughts

Utilizing these templates streamlines the research process, ensuring consistency and efficiency. They allow you to focus more on analysis and less on setup.

Adopting these tools can significantly enhance your workflow. Start integrating them into your projects today to see immediate improvements in your research outcomes.

What is a Prototype?

A prototype in a design sprint is a scaled-down version of the product, which incorporates the potential solutions identified in the sprint to test and validate ideas with minimal resources.

What is a Sprint Question?

A sprint question is a carefully formulated question that targets what the design sprint aims to achieve or resolve, guiding the focus and activities of the sprint team.

What is a Time Timer?

A Time Timer is a visual countdown tool used in design sprints to help manage and allocate time effectively during various phases and activities.

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