# Sprint Coach: pre-recorded voice guidance for each step

The Sprint Coach is pre-recorded voice narration that explains each guided step in an AppSprint session, with a caption transcript. It comes in three voices: Friendly, Calm and Bright. It is not conversational: it does not listen, answer questions or react to what the team does. It is on by default only in the One-Hour Sprint, and the host can enable it in other guided templates.

## What it is for

A design sprint normally needs a facilitator who knows the method and can explain each exercise. Many teams running their first session do not have one. The Coach covers the explaining: at each step it tells the room what the step is for and what to do, so the host can concentrate on timing and on the people.

It does not replace a facilitator's judgement. It cannot notice that a discussion has gone off track or that someone has not spoken. The host and co-hosts still run the timer and move the room forward.

## How it works

- The narration is recorded in advance from written scripts. There is no live text to speech and no generated reply.
- Each narration has a caption transcript, so people can read instead of listen.
- There are three voices to choose from: Friendly, Calm and Bright.
- The room can mute the Coach for everyone, and any individual can mute it for themselves.
- The Coach does not vote, write notes, build or decide anything. It only explains.

## Turning it on

1. **One-Hour Sprint** The Coach is on by default. This is the only template where that is true.
2. **Other guided templates** The host can enable the Coach on the first page of the session in the Full Product Sprint, the Focused Product Sprint and Team Vibe Coding.
3. **Team Video Chat** The Coach is not available in this template.

## If you have a question during a step

Because the Coach cannot answer, AppSprint has a separate assistant called "Ask for help". Its answers are private to the person who asked. It draws on a sprint whitepaper and the guide for the current step, and for questions about the room it uses only the transcript. It never edits the prototype.

For input on the content of your sprint, see [AI teammates](https://appsprint.team/features/ai-teammates), which add notes and references but never vote or build.

## Limits worth knowing

- The Coach follows a fixed script per step. It does not adapt to your project or your team.
- Some narration still uses older role names, Sprint Master and Super Decider. The interface shows a note that maps them to host and decision-maker.
- Experienced facilitators may prefer to leave it off and explain the steps themselves. See [design sprint roles](https://appsprint.team/guides/design-sprint-roles-facilitator-and-decider).

## Questions and answers

**Is the Sprint Coach an AI facilitator I can talk to?**

No. The Sprint Coach is pre-recorded narration with captions. It does not listen or answer. For questions, AppSprint has a separate "Ask for help" assistant whose answers are private to the person asking.

**Can we run an AppSprint session without a trained facilitator?**

The [One-Hour Sprint](https://appsprint.team/templates/one-hour-sprint) is designed for a first guided session: the agenda is fixed, each step is timed, and the Coach explains what to do. Someone still has to host, which means running the timer and moving the room to the next step.

**Can I turn the Coach off?**

Yes. The room can mute it for everyone, and each person can mute it for themselves. Outside the One-Hour Sprint it stays off unless the host enables it on the first page.

**Which templates have the Sprint Coach?**

It is on by default in the One-Hour Sprint. The host can enable it in the Full Product Sprint, the Focused Product Sprint and Team Vibe Coding. It is not available in Team Video Chat.

[Start a One-Hour Sprint](https://appsprint.team/t/one-hour-prototype-sprint)

## Related

- [One-Hour Sprint: a working prototype in about 60 minutes](https://appsprint.team/templates/one-hour-sprint)
- [AppSprint for facilitators](https://appsprint.team/for/facilitators)
- [How to run a one-hour design sprint](https://appsprint.team/guides/how-to-run-a-one-hour-design-sprint)
- [AI teammates: Rin, Maya, Theo and Lena](https://appsprint.team/features/ai-teammates)

Source: https://appsprint.team/features/sprint-coach (last updated 2026-09-17)