Design Sprints - Hurdle Racing Challenges

During my time as Design Sprint facilitator, I have collected some memorable experiences when running sprints. I will share some of the most inspiring, meritable, amusing and sometimes defiant moments with you - not without a certain wink of irony, here and there.
(Note: The examples, all names, characters, and incidents portrayed in the session are anonymised and subject to a heavy load of stereotyping.)

It is almost certain that great things are to happen when interdisciplinary teams meet - a diverse bunch of people that might never meet in “real” business life. Give them a time-box, a full-grown challenge, a set of strict rules, half-a-forest of sticky notes, some sharpies and paper and you will see magic happen right before you eyes. So much for the theory. What about the hours of doubt, sweat and really hard work that come with it? What are the trap-doors, pitfalls and hurdles the sprint members have to circumvent? How might facilitators guide the sprinters through this endurance race without draining the players or losing scope?

Get ready for a very grounded, practical, and honest session, drawn from real life, with real people and real challenges. Forget ideal and best-practice! Leave your books at home. Bring nothing but an open mind and heart and take back some stories and lightning moments for your next sprint.