March 24, 2026
Discovery Workshops: In 4 phases to MVP definition
Many digital projects rush full steam ahead towards a solution without really having a clear understanding of the actual problem. Teams often rely on vague assumptions instead of solid foundations. This does not necessarily lead to failure, but often to features that nobody uses and expensive corrections if the launch is disappointing.
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A discovery workshop helps right here: It checks these assumptions and starts the project strategically so that a validated roadmap is created from a vague idea. This combines business goals and user needs as early as possible.
Why do so many projects fail without proper discovery?
KPIs can fall by the wayside even though the technology is running flawlessly and marketing is making one right decision after another. Often all the energy goes into implementation and brand building (and both are very important topics too!), but all this is of no use if the product doesn't meet a real need. To break this cycle, the Discovery Workshop provides the necessary facts and ensures that everyone is pulling in the same direction.
What is the aim of a Discovery Workshop?
Simply put: to create a shared understanding of the product vision, user needs and business goals. Instead of working separately, a team from different areas meets to precisely define the core problem. This allows you to prioritize functions, avoid undesirable developments and plan a solid MVP.
Why is alignment so important for success?
Alignment means that everyone involved, from the developer to the stakeholder, is pursuing the same goal. Without this consensus, friction often arises later in the process due to conflicting expectations or technical hurdles that were recognized too late. A discovery workshop breaks down silos and creates "shared ownership", which means that everyone involved can later identify with the decisions made.
When everyone involved, from the developer to the stakeholder, is pursuing the same goal, there is less friction and surprises in the process. Without a consensus reached at the start of the project, conflicts and obstacles often come to light far too late. The workshop breaks down barriers and creates a sense of "shared ownership", which later allows everyone involved to identify with the decisions made.
The 3 pillars of discovery: where business, users and technology come together
A successful digital product is the result of an intersection of what makes economic sense, what is valuable for the user and what is technically feasible. In the Discovery Workshop, we bring these three perspectives to the table in order to create a balance right from the start. If one of these pillars is missing, we risk either a product without a market (no business benefit), a product without a user (no user benefit) or a vision that can never be completed (no technical feasibility).
How do we define measurable business goals?
At the beginning, we clarify which problem we want to solve for the company. It's about translating vague wishes into measurable KPIs. Do we want to increase the conversion rate, reduce support requests or gain new market share? These goals provide a clear north star against which we later measure all design decisions.
How do we ensure that we are solving real user needs?
We leave the corporate lens behind and look through the eyes of the customer. What real problems and wishes do they have? Only if we know their everyday hurdles can we offer solutions that really help and don't just look pretty. In this phase, we often separate "What we think they need" from "What they really need".
At what point does technical feasibility play a role?
Technology is at the table right from the start. We clarify right from the start whether the necessary data is available, whether interfaces fit or how much effort functions actually cost. This direct feedback prevents us from designing dream scenarios that are later dashed by the budget or technical reality.
The ideal process: In 4 phases to the product vision
The exact sequence of a discovery workshop depends on the complexity of the project. However, the Double Diamond has proven to be a helpful guideline. This model is divided into two main phases (divergent and convergent thinking), each with two sections: First, divergent thinking: we dive deep into the problem to really understand what it is about. Then convergent thinking: we open up the space for solutions in order to develop the best possible answer. By consciously alternating between open, creative thinking and targeted focus, we avoid aimless brainstorming and instead work towards creating a clearly defined MVP.
Reading tip: Depending on whether you are planning a completely new product or want to optimize an existing feature, different approaches are suitable. You can find an overview of the 5 most important workshop formats for digital products in our hub article.
Phase 1: Discover - Understanding the problem space
We don't start from scratch, but collect the knowledge that is already there in the first quarter of the Double Diamond. The participants contribute their ideas and visions, we look at market data and user interviews and try to find out where there are still gaps in knowledge. The main aim is to ensure that everyone has a similar picture of the topic and that silos are broken down so that no one keeps their knowledge to themselves.
Proto-personas are an important tool in this phase. Unlike traditional personas, these are not based on months of research, but on the shared assumptions and experiences of the workshop participants. We therefore draw invented user profiles with goals, age groups and behaviors in order to create a common basis for discussion. These "hypothetical users" help us to better put ourselves in the users' shoes and view our design decisions from their (assumed) perspective right from the start - and not just discuss technical details.
Phase 2: Define - Focus on the central challenge
At the end of the first diamond, we summarize all the insights gained and formulate exactly the main problem that we want to tackle in the workshop. A proven technique for this is the "How Might We" question, or HMW for short. For example:
"How might we help [target group] to achieve [goal] even though [hurdle] exists?"
This question guides us through the rest of the process and ensures that we don't miss the actual task.
Phase 3: Develop - Exploring solutions
With the start of the second diamond, we open up the solution space. The team, which is made up of members from various specialist areas, collects a lot of ideas in short, structured sessions. And yes: it's the quantity that counts and not how good the suggestions are. We use techniques such as sketching to quickly visualize the ideas. We map the ideas along the user journey to better recognize how they could impact the overall experience.
Phase 4: Deliver - Prioritizing the MVP roadmap
The final phase of Double Diamond is about prioritizing and delivering the Minimal Viable Product (MVP). Now we make the really difficult decisions. We take another close look at all the ideas we have collected: Which ones will benefit users and the business the most? What is even technically feasible?"
A helpful tool for this is the impact-effort matrix. We arrange each idea in a coordinate system: The impact is shown vertically - i.e. how much added value the idea brings to users or the business. Horizontally, we measure the effort - how much time, technology or money it costs.
This creates four areas: Quick Wins, which bring a lot but require little effort, which we implement directly.
Then the Major Projects, which are worth a lot but also require a lot of work, which we include in the long-term planning.
Fill-ins are tasks that bring little benefit but also little effort, which we complete on occasion.
And the Thankless Tasks are the candidates that are best dropped because they involve a lot of effort and bring little benefit.
With this matrix, we create a common, objective basis for deciding what is really important for the start. The end result is a clear roadmap for the MVP that supports the entire team.
The methodical toolkit for effective results
To ensure that we don't just stick to vague ideas in Double Diamond, we make targeted use of proven UX methods. These tools bring structure to our discussions and turn assumptions into hypotheses that we can actually test later. They are, so to speak, the link between pure theory and subsequent implementation.
Why do we need proto-personas to start with?
Workshop participants often have very different ideas about who exactly the users are for whom they are developing something. Proto-personas are improvised characters, so to speak, based on the collective knowledge of the participants. They help to bring the target group to life in the workshop and get a feel for their specific challenges without having to conduct lengthy field studies beforehand.
But what if "real" personas already exist? In such cases, we use proto-personas as a tool for reflection. This allows us to tailor the existing personas to the current project: For example, what does "Anna" need in this exact context of use? The aim is to get the rigid profiles out of the drawer and adapt them to the current problem. If the existing personas still fit, we check them again in the workshop. However, if they seem outdated, proto-personas help us to discover knowledge gaps that we should later close through real research.
How does user journey mapping help to find weak points?
With user journey mapping, we visualize the entire process that a user goes through to achieve a goal. We specifically mark "pain points" and "moments of truth" (decisive moments). This makes it immediately visible where the user experience is currently breaking down and where the greatest leverage for improvement lies. It makes the user experience measurable and discussable.
How do we make decisions with the Impact-Effort-Matrix?
At the end of a workshop, there are often dozens of good ideas. The impact-effort matrix is our decisive filter: we evaluate each idea according to how great the benefit is for the user or the business (impact) and how time-consuming the technical implementation would be (effort). This allows us to identify the "quick wins" and avoid investing valuable resources in complex features with little added value.
What do you achieve at the end of a discovery workshop?
Of course, it's not just about everyone getting on well at the end. Much more important are the tangible results that make the workshop truly valuable. These documents capture the spontaneous ideas of the day and transform them into a solid foundation that can be used again and again in the next sprints. This creates a kind of "single source of truth" that provides orientation for the entire team.
The Product Vision Board
The Product Vision Board is a very central point. This is the strategic centerpiece, so to speak, and puts all the essentials on one page: Who are our customers? What problem are we helping them to solve? What business goals do we want to achieve? And what actually makes our product special? With this board, we have a clear guideline, a kind of North Star. If questions or uncertainties arise later on, it helps us not to lose focus and to make targeted decisions.
What does a first prioritized roadmap look like?
And then there is the first prioritized roadmap. From the impact-effort matrix, we derive which topics will be tackled immediately (i.e. the MVP) and which ideas we will put on the back burner for the time being, but not lose sight of. This gives the stakeholders clarity about the scope and at the same time enables the team to remain flexible and agile during implementation. In this way, the workshop leads directly and easily into the development phase.
What you should avoid during a discovery workshop
Even the best-planned workshop can come to a standstill if typical mistakes occur during preparation or implementation. Although a discovery workshop is an efficient tool, there is no guarantee of success. After all, it can only really work if you remain consistent and have the right people involved. If this is neglected, the workshop can easily turn into a discussion without any tangible results.
Who are the right participants for a productive workshop?
The biggest obstacle is often the idea that "everyone is invited". If there are more than eight to ten participants, conversations drag on unnecessarily and decisions become more difficult. It is better to have a small but colorful mix of different perspectives: Someone who stands for the business goals (product owner), someone from the technical area (lead developer) and someone who keeps an eye on the user experience (UX).
It is also important that these people really have the mandate to make decisions in their area. Nothing is more frustrating than a consensus that is overturned the next day by a missing stakeholder.
Why is the courage to leave gaps crucial for speed?
A discovery workshop should not deliver a finished specification down to the last detail. A common mistake is to get lost in microscopic discussions about individual button colors or form fields. Keep the focus on the high-level vision and the core problem.
The aim is to define the strategic direction and minimize the greatest risks. The detailed work takes place in the subsequent design sprints or the development of user stories. Trust that the workshop has laid the necessary foundations to solve these details efficiently later on.
Conclusion: Discovery is your insurance against costly misguided developments
Bringing together business goals, user requirements and technical possibilities from the outset reduces the chance of missing the market. It's not just about getting a clear idea of what is being done and how, but above all why.
The real gain comes when everyone in the team - from the stakeholders to the developers - not only knows the vision, but shapes it together during the workshop. This not only increases efficiency, but also the level of commitment to the project. This saves time in discussions later on and avoids costly corrections. In short: thorough discovery really pays off in the next sprints.
Ready for the next step?
Are you about to launch a new product or would you like to fundamentally revise an existing feature? Let's find out together how a customized discovery workshop can accelerate your project.
