Projects that skip discovery drift in scope, miss risks and overrun their budget.
21 / Project Discovery
Project Discovery
Know what you are building, how, and for how much, before any code is written.
A short, structured phase to define scope, architecture and budget before you build.
We interview the people who will use and fund the product, review any existing systems, and turn what we hear into a scoped plan. You leave with documents you can use with any developer, including a quote for the first phase.
What the build includes
A complete production workflow.
Requirements document
Users, workflows and rules written plainly, with each requirement ranked by priority.
Architecture options
Two or three technical approaches compared on effort, risk and long-term fit, with a recommendation.
Clickable designs
Wireframes or a Figma prototype of the key screens so stakeholders can react to something visual.
Phase one quote and plan
Scope, timeline and team for the first build, with open risks listed.
Where it applies
Typical project discovery work.
- →Testing an idea before funding it
- →Scoping a replacement for legacy software
- →Aligning stakeholders on one plan
- →Preparing a brief to compare vendors
How a project runs
Four steps, no surprises.
- 01
Discovery call
A short call about the goal and the first workflow or feature worth building.
- 02
Written scope
What is built, which tools it touches, what a person approves, and the timeline, agreed before work starts.
- 03
Build and review
Short iterations connected to your tools, reviewed with your team before anything ships.
- 04
Launch and handoff
Go-live with documentation and an owner on your side. You own what we build.
Technology and fit
Built with the right tools, not every tool.
The exact stack follows the workflow, security requirements, existing systems, and deployment environment.
Technologies
FigmaMiroNotionDiagramsWritten specs
Industries
Expected outcomes
- →Agreement on what is being built
- →Risks found before money is spent
- →A plan any team could build from
- →Realistic expectations on scope
- →A decision you can defend
Common questions
Before we scope it.
Do we have to build with you afterwards?
No. The documents are yours and written to be usable by any team. Many clients continue with us, but it is not required.
How long does discovery take?
It depends on the size of the product, and we confirm the duration at the start. Most are short, focused engagements rather than long studies.
Who needs to be involved?
A decision maker and a few people who do the work today. We schedule short sessions so it does not take over their week.
Keep exploring
Related services and technologies.
Free Audit
Get my free Audit ↗Know what to build first.
We review the workflow, recommend the first build, and give you a rough price range and timeline before you commit.