Co_
Team sprint planning
Systems Jan 3, 2026 8 min read

The 4-Week Sprint: How We Deliver Value Fast

DZ
Dietrich Zeledon
Founder, Co_

Traditional consulting engagements take months to deliver value. By then, the problem has changed, the stakeholders have moved on, and the recommendations sit in a drawer. We do things differently. Our 4-week sprints deliver working solutions—not slide decks.

Planning session
Section 01

Why 4 Weeks?

Four weeks isn't arbitrary. It's the optimal length for meaningful work:

  • 01.Long enough to build: You can create something real, tested, and deployed in 4 weeks.
  • 02.Short enough to focus: No scope creep. No endless iterations. Ship and learn.
  • 03.Fast enough to iterate: Wrong direction? Course-correct in the next sprint, not next quarter.
  • 04.Visible enough to maintain momentum: Stakeholders see progress. Teams stay energized.
System Insight_

"Constraints breed creativity. When you have 4 weeks, you focus on what matters. When you have 4 months, you fill time with activities that feel productive but don't move the needle."

// Time pressure clarifies priorities. Use it intentionally.

Section 02

The Sprint Structure

Each week has a clear purpose and deliverable:

Week 1 Discovery & Design

Deep dive into the problem. Map workflows. Interview stakeholders. Design the solution architecture. End deliverable: Solution blueprint and implementation plan.

Week 2 Build Core

Build the minimum viable solution. Connect to data sources. Implement core logic. End deliverable: Working prototype with real data.

Week 3 Test & Refine

User testing with real workflows. Edge case handling. Performance optimization. End deliverable: Production-ready system with user feedback incorporated.

Week 4 Deploy & Train

Production deployment. User training. Documentation. Handoff. End deliverable: Running system, trained team, and clear next steps.

Section 03

What Makes Sprints Work

Fast sprints require discipline. Here's what separates successful sprints from chaos:

>Clear Scope Lock

Scope is defined in Week 1 and locked. New ideas go to the backlog for the next sprint. No exceptions.

>Decision Authority

One person owns decisions. No committees, no consensus-building delays. Trust the owner, move fast.

>Daily Standups

15 minutes. What's done. What's blocked. What's next. Problems surface immediately, not at the end.

>Working Software Over Docs

Deliverables are functional systems, not presentations. You can touch it, test it, and use it when we're done.

Section 04

Sprint Stacking

Big transformations happen through sequential sprints, not big-bang projects:

  • 01.Sprint 1: Solve the most painful problem. Prove the approach works. Build trust.
  • 02.Sprint 2: Expand scope based on learnings. Integrate deeper. Add capabilities.
  • 03.Sprint 3+: Scale what works. Automate. Transfer ownership to your team.

Each sprint delivers value. If you need to stop, you've still gained something real.

Ready?

Let's define your first sprint.