Discovery

With setup complete, we can begin discovery.

Discovery

Mandatory

Task	Owned by
Nurture the client relationship Ensure there is good communication and transparency with the client throughout the project. Agree on a regular cadence to check in on the client outside of team ceremonies.	Client Partner
Understand and translate client strategy & mission Develop a deep understanding of the motivations driving the client to undertake this specific activity and how it fits with their wider strategy. Use this insight to guide decision making throughout the work to ensure it aligns with the client organisation's strategic objectives and mission. Where needed contribute and advise on this strategy to ensure it is not lost to the process of delivery.	Client Partner
Identify and prioritise user groups Understand who the users are, and how they should be prioritised for this project.	User Researcher
Define measures of success Identify key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure the ongoing success of the project over time and ensure these are understood and regularly reported on both internally and externally.	User Researcher Client Partner Analytics Consultant
Understand user needs Understand what users’ needs are and what tasks need to be supported during design and build.	User Researcher Tech Lead
Understand the users’ journey Develop an understanding of the context in which users are encountering the problem the team wants to solve. Help the team understand how they can have the biggest impact on users by identifying pain points, opportunities and challenges. Tasks may include: ‘as is’ journey map, expert insight.	User Researcher Service Designer Tech Lead
Identify research objectives to test in the next phase Identify research gaps and make recommendations for further research based on relative risk and confidence. This includes identifying areas for testing, the research methods that may be used and areas for further experimentation.	User Researcher
Provide high-level estimates Devise a realistic and achievable delivery plan. Understand where trade-offs might be needed in order to deliver on time and to budget. All team members should be involved in estimating for their work.	Delivery Manager
Explore technical approaches Research technical approaches to better understand the requirements of the project.	Tech Lead
Investigate security considerations Ensure we build a secure system by understanding if there are any specific security considerations or compliance targets that we need to consider.	Tech Lead
Explore requirements for content migration Understand the complexities of the data and content to be migrated, how much work is required and what the potential complications are. If needed, investigate the feasibility of alternative (non code) solutions that might be more cost effective.	Tech Lead
Understand what content already exists Find out what we have to work with, the scale of the work and if there are any gaps. Tasks may include: content inventory, content audit.	Content Designer SEO Consultant
Develop a clear understanding of brand guidelines Get to know the client's brand and values to ensure these are reflected in the product. Tasks may include: collaboration with existing branding agencies, review of official documentation, review of existing materials, discussions with client.	Interaction Designer Content Designer
Set up a design environment Typical set up is a Figma file, but designs and prototypes may be created in Codepen or more sophisticated coding environments.	Interaction Designer
Gather and evaluate brand assets Request access to fonts, image libraries and icons. Check colours for colour contrast with the aim of reaching AA level compliance on core colour combinations.	Interaction Designer
Define the product's design vision and principles Run a creative positioning session with the client to discuss brand identity and approaches to key areas of visual design such as use of colour, imagery, typography. Create design principles to form a guide for future work.	Interaction Designer
Build an aligned view for of the project and the problem space Create a common perspective that enables a joint understanding. The team will use this as an anchor point for planning, discussion and prioritisation. Tasks may include: map, blueprint.	Service Designer
Create an end-to-end view This zoomed out view allows everyone to understand context and helps to ensure everything is going to work together. This is an iterative process and will evolve as understanding and insights are uncovered. Tasks may include: blueprint.	Service Designer

Recommended

Task	Owned by
Make a go/no go decision Use research findings to help the team decide if the project is worth pursuing, or if the problem needs to be reframed based on insights. Consider if the problem is significant enough, if the client is the right organisation to solve this problem, and if there are any barriers for users.	User Researcher Client Partner
Identify and document non-functional requirements Ensure we’re compliant in terms of privacy, security and legal exposure, and that the product meets the needs of the business.	Tech Lead QA Lead
Develop a clear understanding of the data model Understand the existing data architecture by documenting its function, what works well and what doesn’t.	Tech Lead
Stakeholder workshops and discussions Start discussions with key stakeholders to gather information that will inform work in the next phase. Tasks may include: tone of voice workshop, content strategy discussions, co-design workshops.	Content Designer Service Designer Information Architect
Create a shared understanding of the client's domain Ensure the team is aligned on the language we use, the concepts we're talking about and how current processes work. Tasks may include: domain model diagram.	Information Architect Service Designer
Understand how the existing system’s IA is performing Flag areas within the IA that are working well that we should maintain. Diagnose issues that need to be addressed and key areas for improvement.	Information Architect