Early Discovery Outputs

Early discovery needs to be laser focused on setting the foundation for successful product work. Early discovery is a means to an end and its success can only be measured in context with the following projects and how well it sets the team up to successfully deliver.

Try to think about questions like these:

• did we help the customer clarify the problem or identify the root problem we want to solve?
• did we help the customer avoid going down a wrong path?
• have we identified an approach that is feasible, viable, provides value, and is usable?
• have we created understanding and artifacts that are immediately useful for the following project work?

Avoid outputs that look impressive but don't contribute value to the team that will be doing the work.

Some examples of high-value outputs from early discovery:

• Knowledge accumulated by individuals that will continue to work on the problem
• Clear problem statement
• Empathy for and understanding of users, possibly captured with user personas
• Story map - stories are placeholders, not detailed requirements, "Card" in Card, Conversation, Confirmation
• Potential risks, constraints, success criteria
• Process maps to document some core business processes - the first pieces that will be worked on only, additional detail can come through continuous discovery
• Low-fidelity mockups for a small number of core scenarios

Some examples of low-value outputs or waste from early discovery:

• Knowledge accumulated by team members that will not continue on the project or that can not be easily transferred (handoffs create waste)
• Presentations or documents that summarize the discovery project work but are not themselves useful for the team going forward
• Detailed requirements for any work that is yet to be prioritized