Thanks to everyone who joined our recent webinar on EX Design Sprints – and if you’re interested you can catch up here.
There was a theme running through the conversation that won’t surprise anyone working in HR, EX or Internal Communication:
We’re all doing a lot.
More listening.
More initiatives.
More communication.
And yet…things still aren’t quite landing.
The uncomfortable truth
One of the lines that resonated most in the session was this:
You don’t have a delivery problem.
You have a design problem.
Not because organisations aren’t trying.
But because we’re often:
- jumping too quickly to solutions
- solving the wrong problem
- designing in isolation
- rolling things out at scale… and hoping they work
A simple example (that came up in the session)
A common challenge we hear:
“Recognition isn’t working — we need a new platform”
So the organisation invests in a tool.
Launches it.
Communicates it.
Encourages adoption.
And… nothing really changes.
Because the real issue was never the platform.
It was:
- unclear expectations
- inconsistent manager behaviour
- lack of meaningful, timely recognition
The solution didn’t match the problem.
This is where EX Design Sprints come in
An EX Design Sprint is not another programme.
It’s a way of working.
A structured, practical way to move from:
“We think the problem is…”
to
“We understand what’s actually going on – and we’ve tested what works”
What makes this different
Instead of:
- analysing and writing recommendations
- or jumping straight to delivery
A design sprint focuses on five simple things:
1. Understand
What’s really happening, not just what the data says, but lived experience
2. Define
What problem are we actually trying to solve?
3.Empathise
Let’s stand in the shoes of the people we are designing for and understand how things are for them
4. Design
Co-create solutions with the people who experience them
5. Test
Try ideas early — before scaling
6. Embed
Make what works stick in the real world
When would you use a design sprint?
Typically when something feels:
- stuck
- unclear
- not landing
- or harder than it should be
For example:
- engagement or survey results aren’t shifting
- a new initiative isn’t getting traction
- people are leaving
- communication is landing inconsistently
- you’re not sure what the real problem is
In other words: when doing more isn’t working
What you actually get out of it
This isn’t about producing a report.
It’s about creating momentum.
By the end of a sprint, you have:
- clarity on the real problem
- alignment across stakeholders
- tested ideas (not assumptions)
- practical actions you can move forward with immediately
And the bigger shift
What’s interesting is that organisations don’t just solve one problem.
They start to work differently.
More:
- curious
- focused
- evidence-led
Less:
- reactive
- assumption-driven
- solution-first
That’s where the real value is.
If you’re thinking “this sounds familiar…”
It probably is.
Most organisations we work with aren’t failing.
They’re just stuck in a way of working that doesn’t quite fit the complexity they’re dealing with now.
A simple place to start
Before you do anything else, try this:
Ask your team:
“What problem are we actually trying to solve?”
You might be surprised how different the answers are.
And if you want to explore this properly…
This is exactly the kind of challenge we use EX Design Sprints to tackle.
If you’ve got something that isn’t quite landing, or you’re not sure where to focus next, we’re always happy to have a conversation.
No hard sell.
Just a practical discussion about what might actually help. Drop us a line today, we’d love to hear from you
