Jake Knapp
Designer, Author, and Co-founder of Character
Jake Knapp is a designer and author best known for creating the Design Sprint process, a five-day method for solving problems and testing new ideas. He has worked with over 300 startups and is the co-author of the bestselling book 'Sprint.' Jake is also a co-founder of Character, a venture capital firm focused on helping startups succeed.
Episodes (1)
Insights (6)
Work Alone Together Method Speeds Decision-Making
strategic thinkingTeam members silently note answers, vote, and a designated decider finalises choices to speed decision-making.
Differentiation Requires Whole Team Input
leadership perspectivesJake emphasises that defining and scoring differentiation should involve all co-founders and core team members, not just marketing or sales.
Decision Making with Magic Lenses
strategic thinkingJake says if one option wins most lenses choose it, otherwise decide which single lens matters most and move forward.
Classic Differentiator Scales Jump-Start Strategic Thinking
strategic thinkingJake walks through a simple list of universal scales—fast-slow, smart-dumb, easy-hard, free-expensive, etc.—that teams quickly score to kick-start structured thinking on differentiation.
Latchet Founders Paused Coding for Foundation Sprint
case studies lessonsLatchet’s artisan-commerce founders paused coding, ran a foundation sprint, and quickly clarified their differentiation and path forward.
Custom Differentiators Create New Customer Reality
strategic thinkingJake advises inventing fine-tuned, product-specific attributes that reframe customers’ view of what matters, then scoring them to see which truly stand out.