Assessing the customer's current platform, team skills and business processes
Key Takeaway
In discovery, assess the customer's Current Platform, Skill Requirements, and Business Processes, and look for skill gaps against the new platform instead of assuming the skills are there.
Discovery is the phase where you learn as much as you can about how a customer works today, before the new solution is designed. A core part of discovery is a tri-level assessment of the customer's current platform, the skills of the people involved, and the customer's business processes. What you learn shapes who is on the team, how the solution is designed, and how well the solution fits.
Why discovery comes before design
Discovery documents the customer's current state, a "before" picture of how the customer operates today. The finished, tested solution at the end of the implementation is the "after" picture. You need to understand all parts of the customer's business so the solution fits it.
Timing matters because a client analysis lets you influence the design before the design is created. The more you know about the customer's current systems and processes, the better you can make suggestions and influence decision makers.
Uncovering more detail also makes an effective, usable solution more likely. A well-researched design reaches the market faster too, because many contingencies are already covered.