Questions Discovery should answer
The team defines users, critical journeys, business rules, integrations, and success criteria. Data, security, and scaling constraints are examined at the same time.
- who the product serves
- which problem the first release solves
- which workflows and roles are critical
- which systems must exchange data
- how outcomes will be measured
What a useful specification contains
A specification should be precise enough for estimation and delivery without locking in details that early user testing may change. It defines scope, dependencies, constraints, and acceptance criteria.
- feature and journey map
- roles and permissions
- data model and integrations
- non-functional requirements
- definition of done
The business outcome
After Discovery, teams can compare vendor proposals on the same basis, sequence delivery, and see which assumptions still require validation. Change remains possible, but it becomes manageable.