Discovery Session
Most software projects fail because the people involved don't fully understand all the requirements. They make too many important decisions based on assumptions.
Too many assumptions lead to a bad design. A bad design leads to software that:
- Nobody uses.
- Doesn't fit the business' goals.
- Is overly complex — leading to countless bugs, emergency fixes, and headaches.
The Discovery Session is designed to tease out these requirements, help us make fewer assumptions, and come up with solutions that fit your business like a glove.
During three 1-hour sessions, we'll clarify these requirements, better identify risks, and come up with ideas that will move your business forward.
Book a Discovery Session
User Experience
Most businesses bend over backward trying to figure out what their users want. They ask people for feature ideas, ask hypothetical questions, make 'demographics', and send out surveys.
If they're lucky, 10% of it is useful.
The problem is, talk is cheap. If you really want to find out what your users need, follow their actions, not their words.
- What problem do your users run into?
- When do they run into it?
- What else have they tried to solve their problem?
- What were they expecting?
- Why can't they make progress on their own?
During our first 1-hour call, we'll dig into what your users are trying to accomplish. We'll use tools and frameworks like Jobs to be Done and Customer Journey Maps to follow their actions and identify areas of improvement.
Business Strategy
A lot of businesses feel they need to compete by doing the same things as their competitors, only better.
But Amazon didn't beat Barnes & Noble by building bigger bookstores in more cities. They won because they sold books online and built a global shipping network.
A business's strategy affects the tasks they perform and people they hire.
- What opportunities do you see?
- What do you do differently?
- Which tools do you use?
- Which skills do you hire in-house for? Which do you outsource?
- What resources do you have at your disposal?
During our second 1-hour call, we'll focus on unpacking your strategy. We'll use tools and frameworks like the Business Model Canvas and OKRs to make sure this project is aligned with your strategy and can be easily supported by your team.
Engineering
People get stuck trying to plan every detail of a software project up front. They think of all the features features, design screens, and then — at the very end — try to add "code" to make it work.
This rarely works out. Software has too many hidden complexities. It's better to design, build, and release one feature at a time.
One feature at a time reduces risks, gives you momentum, and drastically cuts development costs.
- If you could only solve one problem, what would it be?
- What would 5 different solutions look like?
- Which could you build in 2 weeks? In 6 weeks?
- Is there anything we could buy and stitch together to solve this problem?
- What are some of the trade-offs?
During our third 1-hour call (video required), we'll discuss and design different project ideas. Using tools like breadboarding, user-flows, and rough sketches, we'll design solutions to validate assumptions and serve your users.
Deliverables
At the end of the session, you'll receive three things:
- A one-page executive summary of our session findings.
- Detailed models, notes, and artifacts from each of our calls.
- Recommended project development plans based on our co-designed solutions.
The project development plans at the end will include the following:
- The problem to be solved
- A solution approach based on our session designs
- A project schedule
- Estimated development costs
- A statement of known risks
Book a Discovery Session
The session costs $2,500. If we choose to move forward with any of the project plans together, 50% of the session's cost will be deducted from the first invoice.
Book a Session