Discovery 101
- 1. Discovery Asking the right questions at the right time.
- 2. Discovery Phase: Why We’ve all been involved in one of these projects at some point in our professional lives. Often times it’s not clear as to how we got there and in many cases it’s not any one person’s fault. As projects get larger and more complex, there is inherently more risk for both client and agency. Moving away from waterfall and towards agile methodologies can help mitigate the risk illustrated in this cartoon. but Creed has also found that a defined “Discovery” phase provides a consistently solid project foundation. Image credit: http://www.tamingdata.com/2010/07/08/the- project-management-tree-swing-cartoon-past-and-present/
- 3. Challenges and Successes of the Discovery Phase Bottom Line: The Discovery Phase doesn’t exist in a vacuum. The maturation of Sales, Creative and QA processes are all vital to the increasing actualization and effectiveness of the Discovery Phase. Challenges of a Discovery Phase ● Helping the client understand the rationale for the expense and what they will get out of it. ● Avoiding the “small = simple” pitfall ● Determining who leads/executes ● Defining Discovery objectives ● Defining deliverables ● Finding a way to scale the process
- 4. Key Objectives of a Discovery ● To help Creed better understand the Client and their needs in a controlled timeframe. ● To help the Client better understand the scope and demands of the project. ● To set the tone of management, establish expectations and build trust ● To identify risks and limitations ● To establish an agreed upon criteria, against which success is measured. Bottom Line: The Discovery Phase IS NOT: ● An interrogation ● A questionnaire ● A free-for-all exploration ● A time to start development on the project
- 5. Key Characteristics of a Discovery Identifies key objectives and risks Produces lean & purposeful documents Flexible & scalable Facilitates meaningful conversation and empowers team members Bottom Line: The Discovery Phase provides a clear time boundary for project definition and leads to more accurate estimates and work plans.
- 6. When do we do Discoveries? Maintenance Discovery Project (Fixed Bid) A discovery phase can be appropriate at several points in a project’s lifespan. Discovery + Project (Time and Materials) Sales Discovery + Proposal Bottom Line: When there seem to be more questions than there are answers, it’s time for a discovery.
- 7. The “Discovery Stack” Business Objectives Design/UX Requirements Measure of Success/QA ● Content Requirements ● SEO Requirements ● Technology Requirements ● Functional Requirements PM/Sales QA Lead Creative Lead Lead Developer Discovery Team Bottom Line: Every Discovery should provide the opportunity for each team to identify risks and gather the info they need to be successful. Discovery Owner PM Determines the discovery objectives and deliverables and reports to PM Discovery Plan Frontend Developer Frontend Requirements
- 8. A Flexible Model Re-Design Platform Migration Audit New Marketing Site New E-Com Site Bottom Line: The goal is to maintain a flexible, yet structured process for all types of projects.
- 9. Discovery Deliverables SAMPLE TOOLS Google Docs, Sheets & Slides SmartSheets InVision JIRA Deliverables are: Purposeful documents & assets that answer key questions defined by the Client, Technology, Design & QA Defined by the discovery’s owner and supported by the other team members involved Shared with all necessary parties Able to be used to make educated decisions about next steps.
- 10. Discovery Activities & Deliverables QA Activities ● Goal planning with client ● Competitor analysis ● Analytics evaluation ● Client’s site review ● Identify stakeholders Deliverables ● Objectives documented in specifications document ● Business strategy for web presence ● Scope Document / Project Charter ● Competitor Brief Design/UX SEO/Tech/Content Business Objectives Bottom Line: Activities and Deliverables will depend on the project’s needs
- 11. Continued … Activities ● QA questionnaire ○ Risk tolerance assessment ○ Define measures for success ○ Determine functional priorities Deliverables ● Completed Questionnaire ● Testing Tier Document ● Testing Brief QA Design/UX SEO/Tech/Content Business Objectives Bottom Line: Activities and Deliverables will depend on the project’s needs
- 12. Continued … Activities ● Audience audit ● Review of inspiration sites ● Brand assessment ● Competitor analysis ● Identify browser requirements ● UI components Deliverables ● Design & UX specifications ● Wireframes ● Brand recommendation document ● Competitor analysis summary ● In-browser styleguide QA Design/UX SEO/Tech/Content Business Objectives Bottom Line: Activities and Deliverables will depend on the project’s needs
- 13. Continued… Activities ● Technology audit ● Content audit ● Platform recommendations ● Server audit ● SEO audit Deliverables ● Scope document and/or technical specifications ● Technical audit of existing system ● Platform evaluations ● Content audit results ● Sitemap ● Prototypes ● Workflow/logic diagrams ● SEO strategy brief QA Design/UX SEO/Tech/Content Business Objectives Bottom Line: Activities and Deliverables will depend on the project’s needs
- 14. At the end of the day While flexible and project-specific, a discovery will usually include the following deliverables: ● Charter Document ● Specifications Document ● Creative Brief ● Sitemap ● Content Audit ● QA Tier Strategy Bottom Line: A proper discovery phase produces a blueprint for success
- 15. The Charter Document Charter Document: Description of features, roles, deliverables and time tables that are/aren’t included in the project. Document Anatomy 1. Introduction and definition of project’s goals. 2. List of deliverables. 3. Business rationale and the justification of the project. 4. List of stakeholders and their duties and responsibilities. 5. List of resources and limiting factors. 6. Time table for deliverables. 7. Risk analysis and management. Bottom Line: A proper discovery phase can help prevent scope creep
- 16. The Specifications Document Technical Specification Document: This defines in detail, acceptance criteria for a specific feature or functionality. Typically our specifications include a blend of technical and functional specifications. ● This should be drafted after a scope has been determined. ● Might be supported by diagrams and sitemaps Bottom Line: It’s not always a fun read, but it’s our responsibility to make sure the client understands the document. Document Anatomy: ● Project Overview ● Definitions ● Design Specifications ● Technical Specifications ● Functional Specifications ● Administrative Specifications ● QA Objectives ● Deployment Requirements ● Post-Launch Support
- 17. Writing Conventions: Goals vs. Objectives Goals: Something the client is working towards. Think long-term & not measurable Objectives: Description of what is being done that relates to a goal. Think short- term, measureable, actionable, assignable. Example Goal: Enhance company brand impact. Objectives: ● Create a logo with a stronger reflection of the “All In” messaging ● Measure user brand awareness ● Create a new brand style based on survey results ● Implement new visual style elements on website, app and intranetBottom Line: It may sound like just semantics, but using a common language helps with consistency and efficiency
- 18. Documentation: In Review Specification Document: Nitty gritty of technical and functional requirements and criteria for acceptance. Charter Document: What’s included in the project and how it will be executed. Bottom Line: In a “project specific” landscape, discovery documentation is often more of an art, than a science. However, having a common understanding of purpose and process will help us execute effective and efficient discoveries. Diagrams: Use standardized formats and styles Stylistics: Write in present tense, active voice. Formulate descriptions so they are specific, actionable and measureable.
- 19. Future of the Discovery Phase Make Discovery Standard Involve more People Template Library Bottom Line: There’s always room for improvement
- 20. Contact Presented by Renata France, Senior Developer and Architect Creed Interactive 275 4th Street E #810 Saint Paul, MN 55101 [email protected] www.creedinteractive.com
Editor's Notes
- #4: I hope that what I show you today feels intuitive. It’s not that we don’t know and want to do these things, but in the first blush of a project it’s easy to get swept away by the desire/pressure to “just get working” Most successful ones have been self contained
- #7: A discovery should be intentional and have an objective -- what is it leading us to?
- #8: Ownership has been a challenge, but hopefully with a better understanding of WHEN, we will have a better idea of WHO
- #15: So many options, does this really get us anywhere other than “it depends on the project”
- #17: For our purposes, this isn’t a document that records programming models and data schemas