Discovery Phase: Why Is It Important and Where to Start

If you are interested in technology, involved in IT, or have ever tried to launch your own startup, you are definitely familiar with the term “discovery phase”. As a Delivery manager, who actually worked as a designer, business analyst, and QA engineer in the past (hence, seeing the situation from various angles), I can not stop emphasizing the importance of this stage — a small period that will have a huge impact on tech solutions based on business needs. That is why I decided to write this article, looking back at my work experience and analyzing it, with the hope of helping people understand why the discovery phase is important and how to achieve the best results out of it. This might be especially useful for you if you are looking for a discovery phase service for software development.

What is the Discovery Phase?

Well, let’s begin with the simple definition. The discovery phase is the primary stage of product development. During the discovery phase in agile, the decision-makers from the client’s side unite with the vendor’s team to get a clear understanding of the project. During this phase, your idea and concept turn into a well-defined structured plan while you clarify the Mission, Vision, and Goal of your project. Additionally, you will get an understanding of requirements, architecture, specifications, release plan, UX wireframes, and a prototype.

You may start the discovery phase with just an idea. Skilled IT professionals will help you to develop it, and show the strengths and weaknesses, opportunities and challenges. Starting the development without the project discovery phase, in this case, does not necessarily mean that the project will fail but it does mean that the project will consume much more means than you’d expect.

On the other hand, discovery can be applied not only to a project but to separate features or functionality within existing software. “Why?” you may ask. The key idea, in this case, is to understand why a feature is important and what the development team can face while developing new features later as well as what problems this specific feature solves for customers.

Who, What and Where

The classic ‘development phase trio’ consists of Business Analyst, Designer, and Software Architect. Of course, IT companies can offer you the services of specialists in different combinations, and it depends if the project is new or already exists. However, to evaluate the project from numerous points of view and achieve the best results, the expertise of all three of them is necessary.

After a thorough analysis of all the information gathered during the meetings, the Business Analyst (BA) has to understand the business idea and the functionality. Then BA prepares extensive documentation that among other things includes a vision of the project, functionality in detail, and/or use cases (again, depending on project needs). Subsequently, this documentation will be used by the Designer and the Software Architect as well as by the Project Manager, Development Lead, and other members whose participation will be important in the project management discovery phase as well as during the transition to the future dev team. On the basis of BA’s work and estimations, PM later will prepare a project roadmap to present the scope, duration, and cost of the project.

The designer’s main goal during the discovery phase of a software project is to create the design of the product. From my experience, sometimes a designer’s job is even more complex than BA’s. Not only the designer has to understand the goal and the main idea of the product and consider the latest trends in UX\UI but also present a prototype. Namely this design becomes the jumping-off point for the whole project.

Of course, there are certain patterns for iOS or Android applications that help designers with their job; but actually, it takes a lot of experience, time, and effort to create a design that would be user-friendly, stylish, and include all the necessary things.

The Software Architect is responsible for thinking through the back end part of the project taking into consideration all the future plans of the clients. Basically, the Software Architect prepares the basis, the solid foundation for further development and growth of the project.  

I should also say that by the end of discovery, PM should catch up and examine the results in order to proceed with the project, understand all the details and possible pitfalls, and manage the processes for the future development team efficiently. 

Mind Map

My way of conducting the discovery phase is creating an extensive mind map. Through this form of visualization, I strive to convey all the project-related information I have so after looking at it every member of my team will know what we do.

Actually, I have a mind map for every project I am leading whether we had a discovery phase or not. In case we had a project discovery phase and enough time, I can create an actual map and show it to everyone; while if we didn’t, this mind map exists only as a series of mental notes I use while working. It’s worth mentioning that after the high-quality discovery phase this mind map will obviously be more detailed and extensive. 

What Are the Benefits of the Discovery Phase?

So now you have a clear understanding of what the discovery phase is and which role each participant plays, it is time to give you clear examples of the ways your project benefits from the discovery phase. 

Better Estimates

For example, you come to your development team and tell them you need this project to be finished in 3 months. At first, they might be a little shocked, but after the research, they will see that it is possible or possible but with certain limitations. Thoroughly studying your project allows the discovery phase team to determine how long it will take to finish your project quite accurately, how many people should be involved, and which results you will get.

This also applies to budget planning. If we know the amount of work, we are able to choose the appropriate pricing model. Yes, you will spend a certain amount of money during the product discovery phase, but it will save you thousands (if not tens of thousands) in the future and get rid of all negative emotional aspects which I assure you, everyone has!

Risk Assessment and Management

During the project discovery phase, the client and the vendor learn to listen and hear each other. This is a unique opportunity to start speaking the same language. 

This way, it becomes easier to evaluate the project from various standpoints, talk through possible issues and pitfalls, and prepare action plans for such cases. Every project has some weak spots, and the sooner we discover them the better.

Revealing Opportunities

Let’s say you have a vision of your project and the features you want it to have. However, combining your expertise, ambition, and passion for your project with our experts’ knowledge, together we may discover hidden opportunities and ways of improving your project. What would it be — additional features, new ways of monetizing, or maybe choosing a proper tech stack and approach would be enough? You will find out during the discovery phase.

It is also important to note that when you have trusting relationships with your vendor, they are able to work autonomously thus you can pay closer attention to other parts of the project — marketing, operations, sales, etc.

What if We Skip the Discovery Phase?

You may ask me — Can we skip the discovery phase? The answer is yes. If you are well prepared and know exactly what to do. Otherwise, there is a big chance you’ll regret it.

The thing is that omitting the discovery phase of a software project will definitely lead to some problems in the future. According to 2017 research, most of the problems that can significantly complicate the delivery of the project directly result from failed or skipped discovery phase. Among possible issues are:

• Inadequate project planning;
• Unrealistic timescales and deadlines;
• Changes in the technology stack;
• Unrealistic budget and incorrect cost estimates;
• Incorrect team composition.

The good news is that if you skipped the discovery phase, you still can make up the leeway. A skilled team may support existing parts of your project while also conducting the discovery phase.

Frankly speaking, all the things that happen during the discovery phase will happen anyway even if you skip it. However, you should consider that it would be far more difficult to do. Think about the possibility of delayed deadlines, unexpected costs, hiring additional developers, and the general frustration of everyone involved.

Summarizing this part, the discovery phase in one form or another is inevitable. But it is up to you to decide if you want a stress-free and thorough process or something that may potentially steal a ton of time and money (your time and money, first and foremost).

Recipe for Success

So the next important question to discuss is how to rock the software development discovery phase and get the best out of it? What to do to reach the goal of the discovery phase in project management?

Be Honest and Open

I always want us to be more than a vendor to our client; I want us to become partners as we are treating each project as our own business, seeing and initiating changes and improvements, forecasting potential problems, and promptly solving the issues.

That is why I pay assiduous attention to everything a client says during our conversations and try to get beyond strictly business talk to find out more about the client’s ambitions, aspirations, dreams, and plans. And I really hope each client is open, honest, and ready to share.

This helps me to see the future of the project more clearly, set appropriate goals, and be on the same page with the client. After these conversations, I usually have some information that becomes the basis for the discovery phase as well as our future cooperation as a whole. My discovery phase checklist includes:

• Goals and vision, both long- and short-term. I recommend you tell your vendor as much as possible about your plans and craziest dreams. For instance, you may start with an app that only works within your country but still hope to go worldwide one day because you believe that your idea is unique and there is demand for it. The more you tell your vendor about the mission, vision, and goals of your project, the easier it will be for the development team to make estimations, pick a tech stack, and determine realistic deadlines.
• Priorities. Considering the goals of the project, we prioritize the features of the future project. It helps us to choose the tech stack, hire an appropriate number of developers, and create the roadmap among all things.
• Means of communication. There is no need to emphasize how crucial is to establish fast and effective communication from the first days of cooperation. I want to be sure that the teams on both sides can reach out to each other at any moment and discuss all the questions without any hassle.
• Tech stack. As it was mentioned before, if the client gives full information about the future of the project, it should be relatively easy to pick the appropriate tech stack.
• Deadlines. As well as the tech stack, the accuracy of the deadlines depends heavily on the completeness and depth of information a vendor gets during the initial conversations with the client.
• Budget. Indeed, some people deem the topics of money and cost to be somewhat uncomfortable. However, I would not invent the wheel if I say that it is crucial for a software development team to understand how much money the client plans to invest in the project discovery phase and subsequent development. In my opinion, the sooner the budget is discussed — the better.

Don’t Be Afraid to Learn

It is perfectly normal to not understand all the roles, processes, and nuances of the software development process. Especially, if this is your first project, and you had no prior experience with software development. Therefore, I am encouraging our clients not to be ashamed of it and ask as many questions as possible. I am sure that when the client’s knowledge of the development process is deep enough, one will have no doubts about the necessity of the discovery phase.

Listen to Your Development Team

Yes, as a vendor, we can work according to your plan and vision of the project. And we always respect our client’s points of view and their demands. However, guided by our expertise and years of experience, sometimes we see that certain parts of the project can be done differently, which positively impacts the product in the future.

So my next advice is to listen to your development team, discuss their ideas, and let them make your project better than expected. Trust us because we do everything we can to lead your project to success.

A Few Last Words

Whether you are an ambitious startup owner with no prior experience in project development or a skilled professional with a few successful businesses, it should be clear that your new project will benefit from a proper product discovery phase. A strong, motivated team of IT experts will become your trustworthy partner that will support you and protect your best interests at every stage of the project.

Impressit offers superb software development and discovery phase service — just message us!