VAMFI Run Discovery
Facilitate a structured discovery process that surfaces the real problem, maps stakeholders, and builds the foundation for requirements and architecture work.
Overview
Discovery is the most leveraged activity in any engagement. Poor discovery produces beautiful solutions to the wrong problem. This skill produces a Discovery Document that becomes the single source of truth for all downstream work.
Discovery Process
Phase 1: Problem Framing
Define the problem with precision:
- Problem statement: "We have observed [symptom] which causes [impact] for [who]."
- Root cause hypothesis: What is believed to be driving the problem?
- Opportunity framing: If solved, what becomes possible?
- Urgency: What happens if nothing changes in 6 months?
Phase 2: Stakeholder Mapping
Produce a stakeholder map table:
| Name/Role | Interest | Influence | Communication | Interview Priority |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| [Executive sponsor] | [what they care about] | High | Monthly steering | Essential |
| [End user] | [daily pain points] | Low | User testing | Essential |
| [IT/Engineering] | [technical constraints] | Medium | Working sessions | Important |
Interview priority: Essential / Important / Inform-only
Phase 3: Interview Plan
For each Essential/Important stakeholder, produce a tailored interview guide:
- 3-4 opening questions (context-setting, not leading)
- 4-6 discovery questions (open-ended, problem-focused)
- 2-3 future-state questions (what would good look like?)
- 1 closing question (who else should I speak with?)
Phase 4: Assumption Register
| # | Assumption | Category | Confidence | Impact if Wrong | Owner | Validation Method |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | [assumption] | Technical/Business/User | High/Med/Low | High/Med/Low | [name] | [how to validate] |
Categories: Technical, Business, User, Commercial, Regulatory
Phase 5: Success Metrics
Define how success will be measured:
- Leading indicators: metrics visible during delivery (velocity, adoption, defect rate)
- Lagging indicators: business outcomes visible post-launch (revenue, cost, NPS, churn)
- Measurement method: how each metric will be captured
- Baseline: current value (or "not yet measured")
- Target: desired value and timeline
Discovery Document Structure
# Discovery Document: [Initiative Name]
Date: [YYYY-MM-DD] | Status: Draft
## Problem Statement
[Precise problem framing]
## Stakeholder Map
[Table]
## Key Discovery Findings
[Themes emerging from interviews/research]
## Assumption Register
[Table]
## Success Metrics
[Table]
## Open Questions
[Questions that remain unanswered after discovery]
## Recommended Next Steps
[What to do with these findings]
When Discovery is Desk-Based
If stakeholder interviews are not possible (solo session, internal initiative):
- Simulate discovery by generating the questions that should be asked
- Provide reasonable assumptions based on the domain
- Flag all assumptions clearly with "UNVALIDATED" marker
- Recommend a real discovery activity as a risk-reduction action
Additional Resources
references/interview-question-library.md— Domain-specific question banksassets/discovery-document-template.md— Full blank template