Some orgs can't start with a standard sprint. Multiple business units. Compliance constraints. Legacy systems that don't play nice. The Design Sprint handles the architecture complexity upfront so implementation doesn't stall.
The standard sprints work for straightforward contexts. But some situations need architecture design before implementation can start.
Multiple business units with different systems, different compliance needs, different stakeholders. How do you federate without centralizing? How do you enable cross-org queries safely?
HIPAA, SOX, FedRAMP, GDPR. Your context plane needs to satisfy auditors, not just engineers. Policy design is the architecture.
Systems that don't have APIs. Data that's scattered across decades of accumulation. Connector strategy matters more than connector implementation.
Multiple stakeholders who need to agree before anything gets built. The design sprint produces artifacts that get sign-off, not just technical specs.
Stakeholder interviews, system inventory, constraint mapping. Understand the real org, not the org chart.
Work through the hard questions. Federation topology. Policy architecture. Query patterns. Security model.
Architecture decision records. System diagrams. Policy schemas. Implementation roadmap with phases.
Present to exec team. Address concerns. Finalize scope. Get the sign-off that lets implementation proceed.
Complete system architecture with federation topology, data flows, and integration points. Not hand-wavy - implementable.
Access control architecture, view definitions, compliance mappings. How the context plane satisfies your regulatory requirements.
Implementation phases with dependencies, risk assessments, and go/no-go criteria. Not "do everything at once."
Detailed estimates for each phase. Build vs buy decisions with justification. What you can do internally vs what needs help.
Executive-ready presentation explaining the architecture, why it's right for your org, and what success looks like.
What could go wrong. Mitigation strategies. Early warning indicators. The honest assessment that prevents surprises.
Single business unit, moderate complexity, 1-week intensive with remote follow-up.
Multi-BU federation, compliance requirements, 2-week intensive with stakeholder sessions.
Global orgs, multiple regulatory domains, extended engagement with on-site presence.
Design Sprint cost applies toward implementation engagement if you proceed within 90 days.
Tell us about your org, your constraints, your goals. We'll tell you honestly whether a Design Sprint makes sense or if a simpler path works better.
Schedule Consultation