What is Discovery Phase?
The structured upfront period of a consulting engagement dedicated to understanding the client's context deeply before proposing or building anything. Includes stakeholder interviews, process observation, data review, and assumption mapping. The goal: define the right problem before solving it.
My perspective
In practice
This is where 80% of consulting value is actually created, yet clients often want to skip it. When someone says "we know what we need, just build it," slowing down for a proper discovery is often the most valuable thing I can do.