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Problem Discovery

“The work you do to decide what to build” Teresa Torres*

*For more detailed theory, read Continuous Discovery Habits by Teresa Torres

The objective of Problem Discovery is to build an in-depth understanding of the stated problem and it’s context. This may include, but will not be limited to:

  • who does the problem affect?
  • what is the extent of the problem?
  • is the stated problem the right problem?
  • what assumptions are inherent in the stated problem?
  • what value might solving the problem bring?
  • what risks does solving the problem present?
  • what dependencies are inherent in the problem or pathways to a solution?
  • the viability of existing solution ideas.

Discovery Planning

In an ideal world, discovery runs continuously alongside design and implementation. When done effectively, continuous discovery informs problem definition and prioritisation iteratively, and on an ongoing basis.

In practice, problems often arise which take work to understand. Planning how you will go about understanding the problem, who will contribute, and how you will measure the results of your discovery activities are all essential steps that need to happen before you can start effectively planning a solution.

We strongly recommend planning discovery with colleagues who can bring different perspectives and expertise to the conversation. Consider forming a product trio – a Product Manager, a UX Designer and a Software Engineer – to build an understanding of what you’re trying to achieve, together. Depending on the problem you’re trying to solve, it may also be effective to extend the trio and bring in a colleague from another part of the business, such as a Test Engineer, or a member of Editorial or CX.

Discovery activities should be selected based on what information you’re looking to acquire, and the viable avenues open to you. Some activities result in qualitative feedback, some quantitative, some offer subjectivity, some objectivity, and some are tools for sorting known information.

Discovery activities you may wish to consider include:

  • stakeholder workshops
  • surveys
  • user interviews
  • usability testing
  • A/B tests
  • customer journey mapping
  • assumption mapping
  • competitor analyses
  • customer visits
  • reviewing usability metrics
  • reviewing Support feedback
  • root cause analysis
  • opportunity solution trees