Here is another valuable Management Tip of the Day from Harvard Business Review. To sign up for a free subscription to any/all HBR newsletters, please click here.

* * *

A popular feature of agile project management is the sprint, a five-day process that helps teams focus on and execute one big goal. You move from idea to prototype to customer research in a short span of time.

The idea is to fast-forward a project so you can see what the end result might look like and how the market will react. But it’s not just about speed; it’s also about momentum, focus, and confidence.

The companies who use sprints (in oncology, robotics, coffee, and other fields) see five consistent benefits from the process:

o Sprints help you start.
o Sprints move you from abstract to concrete.
o Sprints keep you focused on what’s important.
o Sprints force crisp decision making.
o Sprints encourage fast follow-up.

If you’re trying to tackle a big opportunity, problem, or idea, sprints can help your team get it done.

Adapted from “Sprints Are the Secret to Getting More Done,” by John Zeratsky

To check out that resource and join the discussion, please click here.

I highly recommend Sprint: How to Solve Big Problems and Test New Ideas in Just Five Days, co-authored by Jake Knapp, John Zeratsky, and Braden Kowitz and published by Simon & Schuster (March 2016).

Also, you may wish to check out an anthology, Management Tips from Harvard Business Review, by clicking here.