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1. Validate your brief and improve on ideas
With a validated brief, you’ll be able to tell which ideas will work (and those which won’t).
Internally, you may have already built a power list of features, components and goals that you’d like your website to deliver on.
By having a discovery phase, you’ll be able to rely on the input of tech, creative and strategic specialists who have a fair idea of the time and cost implication of delivering on features in part or in whole.
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2. Prevent shiny object syndrome and brainstroming alone
We’re all guilty of it. We see a website we love, and our minds become fixated with replicating a feature or design to the letter. The logic sounds solid – if I like it, so will everyone else.
The true issue, however, is if this feature is right for your business and your audience? What works well in the sporting industry may not translate for industrial goods (or any other mix).
You should never advance with a project based on you brainstorming alone or based on shiny object syndrome. A client-agency workshop as a discovery phase will help to ground the ideas that are in the sky or at least find the means of delivering on these features in a way that adds value.
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3. Save time and money with proper planning
When you work out a list of priorities for the short, mid and long term, you’ll better be able to budget both time and finance to get you to the end result you desire.
It also helps agencies to outline milestones for delivery so that there is a layer of accountability at each stage.
Trying to decide what features to work on first can be a difficult task. You may want to further categorise requested features based on:
Business value
- Does this feature make you more efficient?
- Does it help to boost awareness of your brand?
- Does it increase overall impact (e.g. higher number of leads generated or product sold)
Achievability
- Is the feature something that can be implemented easily by your agency? Does it require a lot of custom code/design?
- How desirable is this feature for you as a business?
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4. Get the best from the client-agency relationship
There is nothing more daunting for an agency or client than feeling disconnected from the project or each other.
When you have a discovery phase, both the client and agency get to know each other on a beneath-the-surface level. You’ll get a feel for the approach to delivery, the working atmosphere, where people are drawing inspiration from and more.
The best results truly come from a collaborative effort with buy-in from all. It’s when everyone is invested in the idea that you usually get a stellar outcome. Also, an agency involved from the outset will be best positioned to help with ongoing marketing and support needs.
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Brand definition
Many users confuse what makes up their brand from what their identity is. Often, too much time is spent on choosing colours, shapes and typography (your visual identity), leaving you disconnected from your customers.
Your brand is so much more! In fact, it is the symbol of your ideals, qualities, visual references and beyond.
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User personas
Your community of customers are the lifeblood of your business, so it makes perfect sense to spend time getting to know them.
It’s when you can clarify your user’s goals and ambitions, and how you can help them to meet those needs, that true customer engagement is possible.
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Goal setting + feature prioritisation
Prioritising the features of not just your site, but also your ongoing business activity is essential when trying to get clear focus and purpose.
We help you to organise your must haves into things that:
- build awareness
- improve efficiency
- increase impact
As a result, you’ll know exactly where you’re going over the short, mid and long term, and exactly how you’re getting there.
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Competitive landscape
We help you to organise your competitors into:
- direct competition
- category competition
- substitutes for your offering
- indirect offerings
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References and Preferences
Help us to understand what designs should inspire us, as well as those that we should steer clear of. When we understand your likes and dislikes, we can provide targeted designs that meet the grade.
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Collaborative brief
Our collaborative brief is the documented output of agency and client findings in the workshop. It is the blueprint for the design directions we create.
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Why an awesome discovery phase will make your project skyrocket
Posted by Simeon Stanford on 04 Aug 2016 reading time
Posted by Simeon Stanford
Simeon heads up New Business + Accounts at Debunc. His sales experience across business intelligence, data and digital make him a force to be reckoned with. Away from managing accounts, he's a both a globetrotter and a gooner!
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