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Discover Phase 4DDR Template

This template is optimized for decisions made during the Discover phase of GISE methodology, focusing on user research, requirements gathering, and problem definition.

Discover 4DDR Template​

---
id: 4DDR-NNNN
status: proposed
phase: discover
decision: "Brief statement of discovery approach or research method chosen"
context: "User needs, market conditions, or problem space requiring investigation"
consequences: "Impact on timeline, budget, scope, and quality of insights"
alternatives: ["Alternative research method 1", "Alternative approach 2", "Option 3"]
stakeholders: ["Product Manager", "UX Researcher", "Business Analyst"]
author: "Research Team"
date: "YYYY-MM-DD"
tags: ["user-research", "discovery", "requirements"]
research-budget: "$X,XXX"
timeline: "X weeks"
target-insights: ["Key insight 1", "Key insight 2", "Key insight 3"]
---

# 4DDR-NNNN: [Research Decision Title]

## Problem Statement

What problem are we trying to solve or understand? What gaps in knowledge need to be addressed?

## Research Questions

What specific questions will this research approach help answer?

1. **Primary Question**: Main research question
2. **Secondary Questions**: Supporting questions that provide context
3. **Success Metrics**: How we'll measure research effectiveness

## Decision

State the specific research method, approach, or discovery strategy chosen.

## Research Plan

### Methodology
- **Approach**: Qualitative/Quantitative/Mixed
- **Sample Size**: Number of participants/data points
- **Duration**: Timeline for research activities
- **Tools**: Software, platforms, or instruments needed

### Participants
- **Target Audience**: Who we'll research
- **Recruitment Strategy**: How we'll find participants
- **Screening Criteria**: Requirements for participation

### Data Collection
- **Methods**: Interviews, surveys, observations, analytics
- **Schedule**: When data collection will occur
- **Location**: Remote, in-person, or hybrid

## Expected Outcomes

### Research Deliverables
- [ ] User personas or segments
- [ ] Journey maps or process flows
- [ ] Requirements specification
- [ ] Problem/opportunity sizing
- [ ] Recommendations for next phase

### Insight Categories
- **User Needs**: What users are trying to accomplish
- **Pain Points**: Current frustrations and obstacles
- **Opportunities**: Areas for improvement or innovation
- **Constraints**: Technical, business, or user limitations

## Success Criteria

How will we know this research was successful?

- **Quantity**: Number of participants, data points, insights
- **Quality**: Depth of understanding, confidence in findings
- **Actionability**: Can findings drive design/development decisions?
- **Stakeholder Buy-in**: Do key stakeholders accept findings?

## Risk Assessment

### Research Risks
- **Recruitment**: Difficulty finding qualified participants
- **Bias**: Potential for skewed or unrepresentative data
- **Timeline**: Risk of research taking longer than planned
- **Budget**: Cost overruns or additional resource needs

### Mitigation Strategies
- Plan B for participant recruitment
- Bias reduction techniques and validation methods
- Buffer time in research schedule
- Budget contingency plans

## Next Steps

After research completion:

- [ ] Synthesize findings into actionable insights
- [ ] Present results to stakeholders
- [ ] Update requirements or problem definition
- [ ] Create artifacts for Design phase (personas, journey maps)
- [ ] Document lessons learned for future research

## Related Decisions

Link to other discovery decisions or prerequisites:

- 4DDR-XXXX: [Related Discovery Decision](./4ddr-xxxx-title.md)
- [External Research Document](https://link-to-document.com)

Discover Phase Decision Types​

User Research Decisions​

Common Examples:

  • Which user research method to employ (interviews vs surveys)
  • Target user segments to focus on
  • Research tools and platforms to use
  • Recruitment strategy for participants

Template Focus:

  • Emphasize target audience and research questions
  • Include participant recruitment and screening
  • Detail data collection methodology
  • Specify expected insights and deliverables

Requirements Gathering Decisions​

Common Examples:

  • Requirements elicitation technique (workshops vs interviews)
  • Stakeholder engagement approach
  • Documentation format and tools
  • Prioritization methodology

Template Customization:

# Additional fields for requirements decisions
requirement-type: ["functional", "non-functional", "business", "technical"]
stakeholder-groups: ["end-users", "business-owners", "technical-team"]
documentation-format: "User stories, use cases, or technical specs"
validation-method: "How requirements will be confirmed"

Market Research Decisions​

Common Examples:

  • Competitive analysis approach
  • Market sizing methodology
  • Technology landscape research
  • Trend analysis techniques

Template Customization:

# Additional fields for market research
market-scope: ["local", "national", "global"]
competitive-analysis-depth: ["high-level", "detailed", "feature-comparison"]
data-sources: ["primary", "secondary", "mixed"]
refresh-schedule: "How often research should be updated"

Discover Phase Examples​

Example 1: User Interview Strategy​

---
id: 4DDR-0003
status: accepted
phase: discover
decision: "Conduct 12 qualitative user interviews over 3 weeks"
context: "Building fintech app for small business owners, need to understand accounting workflows"
consequences: "Deep user insights but limited sample size, requires dedicated researcher time"
alternatives: ["Large-scale survey", "Focus groups", "Analytics review only"]
stakeholders: ["Product Manager", "UX Designer", "Business Analyst"]
author: "User Research Team"
date: "2025-07-15"
tags: ["user-interviews", "fintech", "small-business"]
research-budget: "$8,000"
timeline: "3 weeks"
target-insights: ["Current accounting workflow", "Pain points with existing tools", "Feature priorities"]
---

Example 2: Requirements Gathering Approach​

---
id: 4DDR-0007
status: accepted
phase: discover
decision: "Use design thinking workshops for requirements gathering"
context: "Complex enterprise project with multiple stakeholders and unclear requirements"
consequences: "Higher engagement and buy-in, but requires more coordination and time"
alternatives: ["Traditional requirements meetings", "Individual stakeholder interviews", "Survey-based requirements"]
stakeholders: ["Business Analyst", "Project Manager", "Key Users", "Department Heads"]
author: "Business Analysis Team"
date: "2025-07-18"
tags: ["design-thinking", "requirements", "workshop", "enterprise"]
research-budget: "$12,000"
timeline: "4 weeks"
target-insights: ["Business process understanding", "User journey mapping", "Feature prioritization"]
---

Example 3: Technology Research Decision​

---
id: 4DDR-0011
status: accepted
phase: discover
decision: "Conduct proof-of-concept evaluation of 3 AI/ML platforms"
context: "Need to integrate machine learning capabilities, unfamiliar with available options"
consequences: "Technical validation before commitment, but delays initial development"
alternatives: ["Literature review only", "Vendor presentations", "Pilot project with single platform"]
stakeholders: ["Technical Lead", "Data Scientist", "Product Owner"]
author: "Technical Architecture Team"
date: "2025-07-20"
tags: ["ai-ml", "proof-of-concept", "technology-evaluation"]
research-budget: "$15,000"
timeline: "6 weeks"
target-insights: ["Platform capabilities", "Integration complexity", "Cost analysis", "Performance benchmarks"]
---

Discover Phase Quality Checklist​

Before finalizing a Discover phase 4DDR:

Research Design​

  • Clear research questions - Are the questions specific and answerable?
  • Appropriate methodology - Does the method fit the research questions?
  • Realistic scope - Can this be completed within time/budget constraints?
  • Ethical considerations - Are participant rights and privacy protected?

Stakeholder Alignment​

  • Stakeholder buy-in - Do key stakeholders support this approach?
  • Resource commitment - Are necessary resources (time, people, budget) secured?
  • Success criteria agreement - Do stakeholders agree on what success looks like?
  • Timeline alignment - Does research timeline fit project schedule?

Actionability​

  • Clear deliverables - Are research outputs well-defined?
  • Next phase readiness - Will research provide what Design phase needs?
  • Decision support - Will findings enable key project decisions?
  • Validation plan - How will research quality be assessed?

Integration with GISE Workflow​

Blueprint Integration​

When creating blueprints that reference discovery decisions:

## Discovery Context
Based on 4DDR-0003 (User Interview Strategy), we learned that:
- Users spend 4+ hours weekly on manual data entry
- Current tools lack mobile-first design
- Integration with existing accounting software is critical

These insights inform our design approach...

Handoff to Design Phase​

Discovery 4DDRs should provide:

  • User personas based on research findings
  • Journey maps showing current and desired workflows
  • Requirements prioritization based on user feedback
  • Constraints and opportunities discovered through research

Connect discovery decisions to:

  • Research artifacts (interview notes, survey data)
  • Analysis documents (findings summaries, recommendations)
  • Design phase 4DDRs that build on discovery insights
  • Project requirements and user stories

Common Discover Phase Pitfalls​

Over-Research​

Problem: Spending too much time researching without making decisions Solution: Set clear research boundaries and decision deadlines in the 4DDR

Under-Documentation​

Problem: Not capturing research rationale and context Solution: Include research questions and success criteria in the 4DDR

Stakeholder Misalignment​

Problem: Research doesn't address what stakeholders actually need to know Solution: Involve stakeholders in research question development

Method Mismatch​

Problem: Using research methods that don't fit the questions or constraints Solution: Document alternative methods considered and why they were rejected

The Discover phase 4DDR template ensures that research and discovery decisions are well-documented, stakeholder-aligned, and provide the insights needed for successful Design phase decisions.