How do we handle this? As one of various methods used in the Design Thinking process, Allround conducts Design Sprints with various clients. The methodology, initially developed by Jake Knapp at Google Ventures, pursues the ambitious goal of being able to judge the success of a potential product at an early stage – without tedious and cost-intensive development processes.

During the development of the method, Knapp was looking for an efficient way to shorten development cycles of new products, quickly generate user feedback and thus enable decision-makers to estimate the success of a product or service. The result was a working concept that was first applied successfully in innovation processes within Google Ventures, but soon also in renowned companies around the world. In keeping with the design-doing mentality, the sprint process is being adapted and developed constantly.

The classic Design Sprint is an intensive five-day workshop in which an interdisciplinary team from various departments of a company works together to face a challenge. The result of the process is not only a concept for a possible product, but also a first prototype, that is already tested, through which valuable user feedback is collected.

The prototypes in the Design Sprint process do not simply aim to show the entire functional spectrum of a product as an MVP (Minimum Viable Product), but rather fulfill the trend-setting purpose of giving users an impression of the potential product in a short time and enabling them to gain insight. To this end, the Design Sprint, after a two-day workshop phase and subsequent prototyping, is followed by a day of user tests, during which concept validation takes place and concrete next steps for product development can be derived.

In this process, the Design Sprint relies on working principles that are specially adapted to the intensive innovation processes – literally sprints. The whole process is divided into short time slots; for each of the short process steps there is only a limited time slot planned, which everyone is reminded of by a timer in the (in times of COVID-19 also digital) room. As a presumed “final opponent” of innovation processes and progress, classic meeting situations are avoided wherever possible. Never-ending discussions are replaced by work following the “Together-Alone”-principle: everyone works at the same time, but alone, on the same task. The outcome is always a physical representation in space, so that there is nothing, that exists only as words surrounded by different interpretations (principle: “Tangible Beats Discussion”). Subsequent decision-making processes are simplified, structured and visualized (principle: “Note-Stick-Vote”).

As a process designed to move from problem definition to real user feedback in the shortest possible time, we guide our customers in the Design Sprint to the aim of successful product development in a structured and step-by-step way.

What does SPI do?

SYNCHRONIZED WORKFLOWS

An intuitive and modular platform that allows you to digitally design and implement your own surgical workflows.

REAL-LIFE LEARNING

Structured surgical workflows support training, and surgical performance can be analyzed and compared, providing valuable insights.

EASY DOCUMENTATION

A customized, digital operational report that automatically records all steps of the process and can be fully integrated into your existing documentation infrastructure.

We have supported SPI in their web presence.

Those who work together in teams know that good teamwork is not necessarily self-evident, but is one of the most important factors for the success of a company. When colleagues get on well, treat each other with respect and know their mutual strengths and weaknesses, they can complement each other optimally and interact with each other in the best possible way. This creates a relaxed working atmosphere, promotes motivation and is also great fun!

As a rule, our team event starts with an extensive breakfast. Whether in the office or out in the café, the main thing is to gather our strength for the active part of the day.

Because following the German motto „eine Busfahrt, die ist lustig…“ (“a bus ride is a funny thing…”) we either take the bus or a boat to the next program point.

Arriving at the destination, we quickly hand out the care packages with cool drinks, snacks and small gimmicks and off you go! 😊

Whether exploring the Wupper in a canoe, swinging between the trees like Tarzan and Jane in the climbing park or pestering the “Dragon Rock” (Drachenfels) with questions…

…every year we look for and find exciting new opportunities to develop as a team. But most of all we have a lot of fun and a wonderful time together.

It was a joyous moment when our boss Fabienne told us that we had received the approval to implement the diversity campaign for the city of Cologne. The campaign ran under the name „Unsere Vielfalt. Kölns Stärke.“ („Our Diversity. Cologne’s Strength.“).

Diversity is also one of the strengths of the Allround Team, which is why the topic fitted into our company like no other. Fabienne has been fighting for “otherness” for years. As an Ethiopian who grew up speaking six languages, she increasingly demonstrates that different cultural backgrounds are no reason for exclusion. Her work also leads to social engagements, e.g. at the IHK Cologne, Charta of Diversity, Gala of the German Diabetes Help. In this way, she was able to contribute her input to a valuable campaign in the various workshops and moderated the approximately 20 people through various theme evenings. Cologne’s population groups – regardless of gender, age, disability, religion, ethnicity, and skin color as well as sexual identity and diversity of life – have developed a campaign that focuses on the commonalities of all. After the first workshop it was already clear that all Cologne people can identify 100% with their hometown Cologne. So why not integrate the city of Cologne as a unifying motif in the poster campaign? And what stands for Cologne more than the Cathedral? So the background motif for the five poster motifs, which places a park bench in the foreground, was quickly found. On this park bench, different people from Cologne, who entered into a dialogue with each other, were shot. The captured images should appear natural and not posed. Everyone had great fun participating in the shooting and thus in the campaign. The naturalness and also the joy prevailing on the set are reflected in the selected campaign pictures. It was incredibly beautiful to see how all participants felt directly connected to each other. All of them were able to show off their diversity and great strengths and were thus an important part of the successful campaign, which set a clear signal for the city of Cologne.

The German Diabetes Society is one of the largest medical and scientific societies in Germany. Its tasks include the research, treatment and prevention of diabetes.

Every year, the DDG organizes two major congresses in Germany, the Diabetes Congress in Berlin and the Diabetes Autumn Conference with changing locations.

On several occasions we were able to fully support one of our renowned customers from the pharmaceutical branch in the preparation, planning and implementation in the field of trade fair management.

In addition to the conception and design of the trade fair stand, we were also responsible for the participant management of the DDG Symposium, implemented various print materials such as invitations, Edgar Cards or banners and supported the booking of hostesses as well as the various stand activities.

An Allrounder task that was just perfect for our team and gave us a lot of pleasure for several years.

For us, patient-centered thinking and acting means putting people at the center of our actions. We also follow this approach in our communication with and about patients. By putting ourselves in their shoes, we can take up and reflect their needs. Prejudices, long-established habits, or assumptions are left out of the scope. Our video about Acne Inversa, which was produced in collaboration with AbbVie, shows how this approach can be brought to life.