Part One: What is Continuous Discovery

The prerequisite mindset

• Outcome-oriented
• Customer-centric
• Collaborative
• Visual : draw, externalize your thinking, ma what you know
• Experimental : think like scientists identifying assumptions and gathering evidence
• Continuous : evolve from a project mindset to a continuous mindset

A working definition of Continuous Discovery

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At a minimum, weekly touchpoints with customers

By the team building the product

Where they conduct small research activities

In pursuit of a desired outcome

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The underlying structure of discovery

Opportunity solution trees are a simple way of visually representing the paths you might take to reach a desired outcome.

OST help you resolve the tension between business needs and customer needs.

Part Two : Continuous Discovery Habits

Focusing on outcomes

• Outcomes over outputs
• Different types of outcomes:
  • Business outcomes: financial metrics, strategic initiatives. Often lagging indicators. Can require coordination across many business functions.
  • Product outcomes: product trios will make more progress on a product outcome rather than on a business outcome. Within their span of control. Should be a leading indicator. More latitude for the product trio.
  • Traction metrics: More specific than product outcome, but assumes the right output is identified. Less latitude. More for junior product trios.

• Outcomes are the result of a two-way negotiation with leadership
• First start with a learning goal, then a performance goal (with SMART framework)

Discovering opportunities

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Opportunities are customer needs, pain points and desires.

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