When to Use Problem Framing, Foundation Sprints, and Design Sprints
The Design Sprint revolutionized the way teams solve problems and test solutions, thanks to the bestselling book Sprint by Jake Knapp and John Zeratsky. Now, their upcoming book, Click, is generating new excitement in the innovation community. Click introduces the Foundation Sprint, a structured approach to creating testable hypotheses before teams dive into solutions.
But where does the Foundation Sprint fit alongside Problem Framing and Design Sprints? And how do teams decide when to use each?
To provide clarity, we hosted a webinar exploring the intersection of these methods—helping innovators, product teams, and decision-makers understand how to use each approach effectively.
Why This Webinar?
In today’s fast-paced world, teams are overloaded with choices yet struggle to align, collaborate, and make effective decisions. Many organizations:
- Jump to solutions without fully understanding the problem
- Waste resources on untested assumptions
- Struggle to prototype and validate ideas efficiently
- Face misalignment among key stakeholders
- Move fast but sacrifice depth in decision-making
This webinar addressed these common challenges by comparing Problem Framing, Foundation Sprints, and Design Sprints—breaking down their strengths, when to use them, and how they can work together to improve decision-making and execution.
Breaking Down the Methods
Problem Framing
→ A one-day workshop focused on identifying the right problem to solve.
When to use it:
✔️ Complex challenges requiring clarity and alignment
✔️ Early-stage projects to ensure teams solve the right problem
✔️ Misaligned stakeholders needing a shared direction
Foundation Sprint
→ A two-day workshop introduced in Click that stress-tests early ideas before committing to execution.
When to use it:
✔️ Validate risky assumptions before investing resources
✔️ Align teams on strategic direction before solution-building
✔️ Explore multiple approaches before settling on one
Design Sprint
→ A four-day process to prototype and test solutions with real users.
When to use it:
✔️ Test a solution before creating the product roadmap
✔️ Gather real user feedback quickly
✔️ Reduce risk before launching a new product or feature
Bringing It to Life: A Mars Colony Case Study
To demonstrate these methods in action, the webinar walked through a hypothetical scenario: establishing a human settlement on Mars.
🚀 Problem Framing: What is the biggest challenge settlers will face? Is it psychological resilience, resource independence, or environmental adaptation? Without alignment, teams risk solving the wrong problem.
🚀 Foundation Sprint: What are our riskiest assumptions? Should we focus on underground habitats for radiation protection, AI-managed food systems, or psychological adaptation strategies? Before investing, we need to validate the best strategic direction.
🚀 Design Sprint: How do we prototype and test our approach? Should we simulate habitat conditions using VR, build AI-driven farming systems, or test modular living spaces for long-term adaptability? This phase ensures that settlers can thrive—not just survive.
This structured approach prevents teams from rushing into execution and instead ensures each decision is based on real-world constraints, strategic priorities, and validated insights.
Key Takeaways:
- Use Problem Framing when you need strategic clarity and stakeholder alignment.
- Use a Foundation Sprint to refine hypotheses and test assumptions before execution.
- Use a Design Sprint when you’re ready to prototype and validate solutions with real users.
These methods are not competing approaches—they complement each other. Using them in the right sequence can prevent costly missteps, increase team alignment, and lead to more impactful innovations.
As Click launches, many teams will be eager to experiment with the Foundation Sprint—but understanding when and how to use it in tandem with Problem Framing and Design Sprints will be the key to success. Read more about it in this article: Problem Framing vs. Foundation Sprint vs. Design Sprints - When to use each and why?
