4-Week Sprint to Circular Systems
A practical 4-week playbook for beginning circular economy transformation.
A practical 4-week playbook for beginning circular economy transformation. Provides structured process with concrete deliverables to map resource flows, identify opportunities, design and launch a pilot, and evaluate results for scaling decisions.
When to Use 4-Week Sprint to Circular Systems
Use when starting circular economy initiatives, especially at Series A stage companies with bandwidth for pilots. Ideal for building organizational capability, demonstrating quick wins, and creating momentum for broader transformation.
How to Apply
Week 1: Map Resource Flows (Discovery)
Convene 4-hour cross-functional workshop to list all material inputs, trace transformation processes, identify outputs and waste streams, highlight existing loops, and mark leakages.
Questions to Ask
- What materials, energy, water enter the organization with what volumes and costs?
- How do inputs transform into outputs?
- What products, wastes, emissions leave the organization?
- What is currently recovered and reused?
- What is permanently lost from the system?
Outputs
- Sankey diagram of resource flows
- Quantities and costs documented
Week 2: Identify Closing Opportunities (Prioritization)
Review Week 1 map, brainstorm interventions for each leakage point, plot on Impact-Feasibility matrix, and select ONE pilot opportunity.
Questions to Ask
- How easy to implement (cost, technology, cooperation, regulations)?
- How much resource would be recovered (volume, cost savings, environmental benefit)?
Outputs
- Impact-feasibility matrix with 10-15 opportunities
- Selected pilot with documented rationale
Week 3: Design One Pilot (Implementation)
Assign DRI, define pilot scope, establish baseline metrics, define success criteria, allocate budget (<$5K), identify barriers and mitigations, launch pilot.
Outputs
- One-page pilot plan
- Operational pilot by end of week
Week 4: Run Pilot and Measure (Evaluation)
Monitor daily, collect quantitative data and qualitative feedback, compare to baseline, calculate key metrics, conduct debrief, decide: Scale (>75% success), Iterate (50-75%), or Kill (<50%).
Outputs
- One-page results report
- Scale/iterate/kill decision
- Next steps documented