Discovery: Because Guesswork… Doesn’t Work
When launching a new digital product, it can be tempting to jump right into the visuals and the build, you know, the “flashy things” our stakeholders are most excited about. This enthusiasm is great, but we’d be remiss not to mention that skipping the discovery process can lead to significant waste. Waste of time, waste of money, and then a final product that falls short of expectations – things stakeholders are rightly never thrilled about! Investing in discovery before starting your project can alleviate project pressure by providing insight, clarity, efficiency, and a higher likelihood of success, and it results in some rather “flashy” deliverables if we do say so ourselves.
Start at the Beginning: What Is Discovery?
At Mile6, we have a saying: We can’t imagine writing code or designing on day one. That’s like starting a long journey with new friends and only unknowns. Do we all agree on where we want to end up? What outcome will mean we can call this a successful journey? Do we all have the correct footwear?
Discovery is the foundational first step of any digital product, website, or software project, where we find alignment through research, planning, and strategy. We do this work before any code or interface designs hit the screen. This stage is even more fundamental when working with a digital product agency. Discovery is where we incorporate our expertise from other projects and industries to disrupt bias and challenge the status quo.
Discovery takes on different shapes and forms depending on the type of digital product we’re creating. For a website, it’s user personas and market analysis. For a custom software development project, it’s those deliverables plus creating workflow diagrams, systems and tools review, department-level research, and gap analysis.
Why Discovery Matters
1. Align Business Goals with User Goals
A successful digital product should not only meet business objectives but also serve the needs of its users. The discovery phase ensures that all stakeholders get galvanized and on the same page, clarify the project’s purpose, and identify how it will provide value to the intended audience.
2. Prevent Costly Rework
Discovery lays the groundwork for assembling the all-important product roadmap or project scope. Without these documents, projects can suffer from inefficient build processes. Features and requirements can emerge too late without upfront strategy work, leading to increased costs, extended timelines, and rework. With a roadmap, our team utilizing an Agile approach can quickly adapt and adjust priorities. A well-executed discovery process helps define a transparent and detailed project scope from the outset, minimizing unnecessary revisions and the chance for budget overruns.
3. Provide a Clear Technical Blueprint
Custom software and website projects involve various technologies, integrations, and functionalities. Discovery allows teams to assess technical feasibility, choose the right technology stack, and identify potential risks before development begins. This proactive approach prevents bottlenecks and ensures smoother execution with the right tools.
4. Enhance User Experience and Usability
A discovery-driven project incorporates user research early on, ensuring the final product is intuitive, user-friendly, and aligned with audience expectations. By understanding user behaviors, pain points, and preferences, teams can create a seamless digital experience by creating user personas.
5. Save Time and Resources in the Long Run
Discovery eliminates guesswork, streamlines development, and helps teams work more efficiently—resulting in a faster time to market and a higher return on investment. Enough said!
What Happens Without Discovery?
Oh, the horror! Turn back if you still can! A little dramatic, but we stand by the sentiment. Projects that skip discovery often face significant challenges, including:
- Misaligned expectations between stakeholders, design, and development teams
- Frequent redesigns and refactors due to unclear objectives
- Poor user adoption due to inadequate research
- Unforeseen technical obstacles that delay progress
- Budget overruns caused by unexpected changes
Nobody enjoys that uneasy, unprepared feeling when encountering an unknown— especially when budgets and user adoption are on the line!
The Full-Scope
Discovery shouldn’t be considered optional but a necessity for any successful digital product project. At Mile6, the deliverables produced during discovery are the prerequisite to our comprehensive strategy process. By planning, researching, and aligning business objectives with user needs, we can avoid costly pitfalls and create a digital product that delivers actual value. Before starting your digital product journey, ensure you’re equipped for success with a comprehensive discovery process.
Tim Haak
Founder & VP of Innovation
Tim Haak, Mile6 Founder, is an entrepreneur and internet veteran. In the mid-’90s, Tim began creating websites for local businesses in Central Pennsylvania. This was the birth of Mile6 in 1996. Tim brings innovation and compassion to everything he does. For over 25 years, Tim has successfully navigated tech landscape changes and the evolution of the workplace. As a day-to-day leader at Mile6, Tim keeps a firm pulse on team culture and client happiness. Tim is always approachable, always friendly, and always willing to engage with friends, family, and clients. Tim lives in Elizabethtown, PA with his wife and two daughters, and two dogs.