Phase 1: Discover Overview
Welcome to the foundation of the GISE methodology! The Discover phase is where we transform vague ideas and business needs into clear, actionable requirements. This phase sets the stage for everything that follows.
Phase Objectives
By the end of the Discover phase, you will have:
✅ Complete Requirements Documentation - Every feature and constraint clearly defined
✅ Validated User Stories - Stakeholder-approved user stories with acceptance criteria
✅ Process Flow Diagrams - Visual documentation of current and future state workflows
✅ Technology Stack Decisions - Informed choices about architecture and tools
✅ Project Foundation - Solid base for design and development work
Why Discover Matters
The Discovery Investment Payoff:
- 10 hours of quality discovery saves 40+ hours of development rework
- Projects with thorough discovery are 3x more likely to deliver on time and budget
- Clear requirements reduce scope creep by 60% during development
The Discovery Process
The Discover phase follows a structured workflow that ensures nothing important is missed:
1. Stakeholder Mapping (Day 1-2)
Identify who matters and why
- Map all project stakeholders and their interests
- Understand decision-making authority and influence
- Plan interview strategy and priorities
- Set expectations for the discovery process
2. Requirements Gathering (Day 3-7)
Deep dive into business needs
- Conduct structured stakeholder interviews
- Document functional and non-functional requirements
- Identify constraints, assumptions, and dependencies
- Gather examples and use cases
3. User Story Development (Day 8-10)
Transform requirements into actionable stories
- Create user stories with clear acceptance criteria
- Prioritize stories based on business value
- Estimate effort and complexity
- Validate stories with stakeholders
4. Process Mapping (Day 11-13)
Visualize current and future workflows
- Map existing business processes
- Identify pain points and improvement opportunities
- Design future state workflows
- Create Mermaid diagrams for documentation
5. Technical Research (Day 14-16)
Make informed technology decisions
- Research and evaluate technology options
- Consider integration requirements and constraints
- Assess team skills and learning curves
- Document decisions and rationale
6. Validation & Sign-off (Day 17-18)
Ensure alignment before moving forward
- Present findings to stakeholders
- Gather feedback and make adjustments
- Obtain formal approval to proceed
- Prepare handoff to Design phase
Key Deliverables
Requirements Document
The master specification for the project
# Project Requirements Document
## Executive Summary
- **Project Vision**: [High-level goal and value proposition]
- **Success Criteria**: [How we'll measure success]
- **Scope**: [What's included and excluded]
## Stakeholder Analysis
- **Primary Stakeholders**: [Decision makers and primary users]
- **Secondary Stakeholders**: [Others affected by the project]
- **Stakeholder Needs**: [What each stakeholder wants to achieve]
## Functional Requirements
- **Core Features**: [Must-have functionality]
- **Nice-to-Have Features**: [Lower priority features]
- **Business Rules**: [Constraints and validation rules]
## Non-Functional Requirements
- **Performance**: [Speed, throughput, scalability needs]
- **Security**: [Authentication, authorization, data protection]
- **Usability**: [User experience and accessibility requirements]
- **Reliability**: [Uptime, error handling, recovery needs]
## Constraints and Assumptions
- **Technical Constraints**: [Technology limitations]
- **Business Constraints**: [Budget, timeline, resources]
- **Regulatory Requirements**: [Compliance and legal constraints]
- **Assumptions**: [What we're assuming to be true]
User Story Collection
Actionable development tasks
Example user story structure:
### User Story: User Account Creation
**As a** new customer
**I want to** create an account with email and password
**So that** I can access personalized features and save my preferences
**Acceptance Criteria:**
- [ ] User can register with email address and secure password
- [ ] System validates email format and password strength
- [ ] Duplicate email addresses are rejected with clear message
- [ ] User receives email confirmation after successful registration
- [ ] User can log in immediately after account creation
**Definition of Done:**
- [ ] Feature implemented and tested
- [ ] Email confirmation system working
- [ ] Error handling for all edge cases
- [ ] Security review completed
- [ ] Documentation updated
**Story Points:** 5
**Priority:** Must Have
Process Flow Diagrams
Visual documentation of workflows
Current state example:
Technical Research Summary
Informed technology decisions
# Technology Stack Research
## Frontend Framework Decision
### Options Evaluated
1. **React with Next.js**
2. **Vue.js with Nuxt**
3. **Angular**
### Decision Matrix
| Criteria | Weight | React | Vue | Angular |
|----------|--------|-------|-----|---------|
| Team Expertise | 5 | 5 | 3 | 2 |
| Ecosystem | 4 | 5 | 4 | 4 |
| Performance | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| Learning Curve | 3 | 4 | 5 | 2 |
### Recommendation: React with Next.js
**Score: 4.4/5.0**
**Rationale:**
- Team has strong React experience
- Excellent ecosystem and community support
- Next.js provides SSR and static generation options
- Strong TypeScript integration
GenAI Integration in Discovery
AI-Assisted Requirements Gathering
Interview Preparation: Use AI to generate comprehensive interview questions tailored to your stakeholder type and project context.
Requirements Analysis:
Leverage AI to identify missing requirements, potential conflicts, and edge cases that might be overlooked.
User Story Generation: Transform raw requirements into well-structured user stories with proper acceptance criteria.
Process Optimization: Use AI to suggest process improvements and automation opportunities.
Recommended AI Tools for Discovery
| Tool | Best For | Example Usage |
|---|---|---|
| ChatGPT/Claude | Requirements analysis, interview guides | Generate stakeholder interview questions |
| Cursor/GitHub Copilot | Documentation creation | Auto-complete requirements documents |
| Mermaid Live Editor | Process flow creation | Create and iterate on process diagrams |
| Notion AI | Meeting notes and summaries | Summarize stakeholder interview findings |
Common Discovery Challenges
Challenge 1: Stakeholder Availability
Problem: Key stakeholders are too busy for discovery interviews
Solutions:
- Schedule shorter, focused sessions (30 minutes max)
- Offer flexible timing options including early/late hours
- Use asynchronous methods like recorded video questions
- Delegate to knowledgeable team members when appropriate
Challenge 2: Changing Requirements
Problem: Requirements keep changing during the discovery phase
Solutions:
- Set clear expectations about scope and change management
- Use iterative validation with frequent check-ins
- Document the rationale behind each requirement
- Implement a formal change request process
Challenge 3: Technical Complexity
Problem: Requirements are too vague or technically infeasible
Solutions:
- Involve technical team members early in requirements gathering
- Create prototypes or proof-of-concepts for complex areas
- Break down complex requirements into smaller, testable pieces
- Research technical constraints and communicate limitations clearly
Challenge 4: Scope Creep
Problem: Project scope keeps expanding during discovery
Solutions:
- Maintain a clear project vision and success criteria
- Use MoSCoW prioritization (Must have, Should have, Could have, Won't have)
- Create a "future enhancement" backlog for nice-to-have features
- Regular scope reviews with stakeholders and decision makers
Discovery Success Patterns
What Great Discovery Looks Like
Comprehensive Coverage:
- All major stakeholders interviewed
- Edge cases and error scenarios considered
- Integration points clearly defined
- Success metrics established
Clear Documentation:
- Requirements are specific and testable
- User stories have detailed acceptance criteria
- Process flows show current and future state
- Technical decisions include rationale
Stakeholder Alignment:
- All parties agree on project scope and goals
- Priorities are clearly established and accepted
- Success criteria are measurable and achievable
- Change management process is understood
Discovery Quality Metrics
Track these metrics to ensure discovery quality:
- Requirements Coverage: 95%+ of identified stakeholder needs documented
- Stakeholder Agreement: 90%+ approval rating on requirements accuracy
- Story Completeness: 100% of user stories have acceptance criteria
- Technical Clarity: All major architectural decisions documented with rationale
Moving to Design Phase
Handoff Checklist
Before moving to the Design phase, ensure you have:
Documentation Complete:
- Requirements document finalized and approved
- User stories prioritized and estimated
- Process flows documented with Mermaid diagrams
- Technical research completed with recommendations
- All assumptions and constraints documented
Stakeholder Alignment:
- Key stakeholder sign-off on requirements
- Project scope and priorities agreed upon
- Success criteria defined and measurable
- Change management process established
Technical Foundation:
- Technology stack decisions made and documented
- Integration requirements identified
- Performance and scalability requirements defined
- Security and compliance requirements understood
Quality Validation:
- Requirements are specific and testable
- User stories follow proper format with acceptance criteria
- Process flows are accurate and complete
- Technical decisions include rationale and alternatives considered
Design Phase Preparation
What the Design team needs from Discovery:
- Clear Requirements - Specific, testable, and prioritized
- User Stories - Well-defined with acceptance criteria
- Process Understanding - How the business currently works and should work
- Technical Direction - Technology choices and architectural constraints
- Success Criteria - How to measure if the solution is working
Next Steps
Ready to Start Discovery?
Follow this sequence to master the Discover phase:
- Requirements Gathering - Learn stakeholder interview techniques
- Process Mapping - Create visual workflow documentation
- Git Workflow - Set up your project repository and branching
- Practical Exercises - Apply discovery techniques to real scenarios
Need Quick Reference?
Use the Discover Phase Recipes for ready-to-use templates and patterns.
Remember: Quality discovery work is an investment that pays dividends throughout the entire project lifecycle. Take the time to get it right.