Discovery Workshops: What They Are and Why They Matter
Before we write a single line of code or draw a wireframe, we invest time truly understanding your requirements. Discovery workshops are structured sessions designed to surface everything we need to deliver the right solution.
What Is a Discovery Workshop?
A discovery workshop is a focused, facilitated session (typically 2–4 hours) where your key stakeholders and our team work together to define:
- Business goals and success criteria
- User personas and journeys
- Functional requirements (what the system must do)
- Non-functional requirements (performance, security, accessibility standards)
- Technical constraints (existing systems, integrations, platforms)
- Risks, assumptions, and dependencies
Who Should Attend?
From your side, we typically want:
- Project Sponsor (for strategic direction)
- Project Lead (for day-to-day requirements)
- Subject Matter Experts relevant to the system being built
- IT/Technical Contact (for infrastructure and systems questions)
Workshop Formats
- Remote (Zoom/Teams): Our default — effective with good preparation and collaborative tools
- On-site: Available for larger or more complex engagements; additional travel costs may apply
- Asynchronous: For distributed teams — we use structured questionnaires and Miro boards
What Happens After a Workshop?
Within 3 business days, we will produce and share a Discovery Report summarising everything captured. You will be asked to review and approve this document — it forms the foundation for the Statement of Work and project plan.
Discovery as a Standalone Service
For larger projects, a Discovery phase is sometimes commissioned as a separate, fixed-price piece of work before the main project is contracted. This is particularly valuable when requirements are unclear, where multiple stakeholders disagree, or where the technical approach needs validating.