leanGears
Discovery – A framework for discovering Product
Requirements.
A Product is not the end goal for users rather it’s a means to do activities in real life to fulfill their needs. A Valuable Product
is one that helps the end users do those activities easily and willingly. Every Product intends to change the behavior of the
end user in one or the other way. This framework helps in identifying the behaviors to be changed and Product Features to
support them.
What is Product Discovery?
The Product requirements just don’t come from end users. Moreover, the end user can only help you understand their
problems in current way of doing things. One needs to observe what they do, listen to their problems, empathize with them
and identify their needs. The buyers and sponsors of the product of course want more returns on investment. A development
team can make use of their technical skills to solve the user problems efficiently. The Product Discovery process is working
with all these people to uncover Product Features and the value that they bring.
Who is a Product Owner?
A Product owner is someone who understands the customers who buy the product, end users who use the product and
sponsors who invests in the product and collaborates with development team to build the right product to maximize the
value of money and time spent by them(Customers, end users and sponsors). Scrum does not prescribe a specific way of
discovering requirements and value as discovery process varies widely based on domain. leanGears Discovery framework
attempts to give guidance to Product Owner to discover product requirements and identify value.
What is a Discovery Team?
A Product Discovery Team is a group of people who can collaborate with Product Owner and help him/her in the process of
product discovery. It should generally consist of representatives of end users, buyers, sponsors and development team. Its
quite possible that development team itself can act as discovery team.
What is leanGears Discovery?
leanGears Discovery is a framework developed by Satisha Venkataramaiah and owned by Leanpitch. leanGears Discovery
provides five step approach for discovering Product requirements from product vision. It provides a set of tools to
- Develop product vision from problem statement
- Identify end users and translate vision into Product features based on activities that users need to perform to achieve
Product Vision
- Conduct user interviews, develop personas, user journey, identify pain points and develop user stories
- Prioritize requirements based on user needs, Spilt User stories, Identify MVP, develop product roadmap
- Identify Business Value, Size requirements, prioritize based on ROI, add details, develop wireframes, validate solution
Activity Purpose Actors Input Output Tools/Technique
Product Align all the stakeholders to PO, Discovery Problem/Need Vision Product Box, Elevator
Envisioning a common goal Team and Statement Statement Pitch, News Paper Ad,
Stakeholders TV ad etc.
Collaborative Identify the ecosystem for PO, Discovery Vision Statement High Level Impact Mapping,
Chartering the product to be successful Team and Deliverables Product Canvas
Stakeholders
User Research Validate the assumptions PO, Discovery Actors and User Stories User Experience
about user needs and get Team and End Activities to Mapping, Interviews,
voice of customer Users validated. Persona Building
User Story Map User needs to product PO, User Stories Product Kano Model,
Mapping features and prioritize the Stakeholders Roadmap based MUSCOW, Story
features based on user and Domain on User Needs Splitting techniques,
needs Experts User Story Map etc.
Story Add details and keep the PO, Discovery Product Backlog Prioritized Business Value
Pampering Product Backlog Ready for Team, Product Estimation Game,
Development Stakeholders Backlog ready Voting, Wireframes,
and for Planning Poker,
Development Development Classes of Service etc.
Team
Learn more about leanGears Discovery at www.leangears.com
