18F

18F - Design Hypothesis

Turn your work into a testable hypothesis. This focuses effort on achieving specific goals. It shifts thinking from just building to ensuring impact.

Duration
1 hour
Group Size
3-6
Category
18F
Difficulty
Easy
Energy
Medium

Objectives

Collaborative hypothesis building aligns teams on goals and purpose. It promotes flexibility. If an approach fails, the team can adapt and iterate.

Outcomes


  • Testable hypotheses

  • Clear assumptions

  • Experimentation framework

Step-by-Step Instructions


  1. Define the problem as a team.

  2. Structure the hypothesis:

We believe that doing/building/creating [this] for [this user] will result in [this outcome].
We'll know we're right when we see [this metric/signal].

  1. Consider potential harm:

But, this could be harmful for [this user] if [this outcome happens].

  1. Test the hypothesis at a user touchpoint. Refine based on results.

Unlock Step-by-Step Instructions

Join 2,500+ facilitators who use Workshopr to plan better workshops — free during beta.

Facilitator Tips

Acknowledge that initial hypotheses might miss the mark. Use failures as learning opportunities. Government Considerations: No Public Records Act implications; no data collected from the public.

Pre-Work

For Facilitators

  • Review participant profiles and expectations
  • Prepare all materials and supplies
  • Test technology and room setup

For Participants

  • Complete pre-session survey
  • Review background materials
  • Prepare examples or case studies

Unlock Pre-Work Requirements

Join 2,500+ facilitators who use Workshopr to plan better workshops — free during beta.

Materials Required


  • Hypothesis templates

  • Research data

  • Sticky notes

  • Validation framework

Unlock Materials Required

Join 2,500+ facilitators who use Workshopr to plan better workshops — free during beta.

Resources & Templates

Design Hypothesis Template
Template for writing testable design hypotheses.

Unlock Resources & Templates

Join 2,500+ facilitators who use Workshopr to plan better workshops — free during beta.

Discussion

0/2000
Loading comments...

Related Exercises

See all exercises

18F - Wireframing

3 hours

Wireframing translates strategy into interface blueprints. In this 180-minute exercise, teams focus on structure and user flow, avoiding visual design...

18f

18F - Content Audit

4 hours

A Content Audit is a thorough inventory and analysis of all content users encounter on a website or within a product. This exercise catalogs pages, do...

18f

18F - Usability Testing

2 hours

Observe users interacting with a product or service, asking them to verbalize their thoughts aloud. This reveals friction points and unexpected uses.

18f

IDEO - Conversation Starters

45 mins

Interviews can stall in small talk. This exercise helps you move past that. Start real conversations and gain deeper insights from your interviewees.

Ideo

Affinity Mapping

1 hour

Affinity mapping helps you organize insights into themes. It turns chaos into clarity. Use it to find connections you might otherwise miss. It's great...

Research