When HP approached us to collaborate on their Insights to Innovation (i2i) program, they were seeking not just ideas—but momentum. In the face of complex customer-facing challenges, they wanted a structured, fast-paced approach to unlock innovation. Together, we launched a five-day design sprint that quickly aligned stakeholders, surfaced powerful insights, and delivered a customer-validated prototype.
See what HP had to say about it:
The Challenge: Moving Faster with Confidence
HP’s internal teams were juggling competing priorities, long development timelines, and the pressure to deliver user-centered innovations that could scale. While they had strong technical and customer expertise, they were looking for a way to condense months of decision-making and iteration into a compact, actionable format—without sacrificing quality or customer impact.
They needed a safe but demanding framework that would push assumptions, involve cross-functional voices, and translate observations into product value. The design sprint format was a natural fit.
Our Approach: A Five-Day Sprint to Clarity
We kicked off the sprint by framing the challenge clearly and gathering insights from key experts and customer data. This set the foundation for a shared understanding of the problem space. From there, the process moved quickly:
By the end of the week, HP walked away with a high-fidelity prototype that had been tested by real users and aligned with both business goals and customer expectations.
The Impact: A Shift in Culture and Direction
Nilay Dinc, Phd., a stakeholder in HP’s Eye to Eye program, described the experience as “one of the most productive workshops I’ve ever participated in—across 20 years of professional experience.” She emphasized the psychological safety created during the sprint, which allowed ideas to surface and flourish: “When people feel safe, they speak up—and that’s when the best ideas come out.”
Beyond the prototype, the sprint created a cultural shift. Teams felt empowered, heard, and motivated. It wasn’t just about efficiency; it was about building momentum for agile, human-centered innovation across HP. As Nilay reflected, “The power of a design sprint is not just listening, but observing the customer—and being able to translate those insights into real innovation.”
What’s Next
Our sprint with HP was more than a single engagement—it was a model for how teams can work better, faster, and more collaboratively. As the i2i program moves forward, HP now has a validated concept, internal alignment, and a repeatable approach they can scale across teams.
We’re excited to continue to partner with HP and their Insights to Innovation program!
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