Watch the video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zl4QTr8YkhE This talk takes you on a journey to understand what a 'discovery' period in your design and tech project currently looks like, through to what it could be. Spoiler: It can be so much more, but you need to be prescriptive in the way you put together your team, and let go when you're going through the process. Oh and make specific time for non-specific things to happen.

1. And now for
something
completely different

3. Today I aim to
• Show that Discoveries can be so much more.
• Define some ‘How tos’ of great Discoveries.
• Illustrate that there is method in the madness of Sense-Making.
…and WHY we always land…

4. Known fact finding
Truly new stuff
Classic Discovery work results in

5. My Goal for Discovery
Known fact finding
Truly new stuff

6. My Goal for Discovery
Known
Knowns
Known
Unknowns
Unknown
Knowns
Unknown
Unknowns

7. Audience Participation

8. Revisiting the Double Diamond
Discover Define Develop Deliver
Divergent
Gather
data
Convergent
Narrow
scope
Divergent
Explore
possibilities
Convergent
Define
constraints

9. Converge
Revisiting the Double Diamond
Diverge

10. Converge
Revisiting the Double Diamond
Sensemaking
Feels uncomfortable
Fuzzy
Compounding
Constraints
Contradiction
Complex
Feel coherent
Understood
A path forward
Defined problems
Generative thinking Inductive thinkingAbductive Thinking
Example activities
Prototyping
Testing
Example activities
Research
Finding meaning
Certainty
Diverge

11. COOK
COLUMBUS
BOONE
HILARY
ARMSTRONG
POLO
LIVINGSTONE
BIGGS

12. “It is not the mountain we conquer,
but ourselves.”
Edmund Hillary, Explorer

13. Principles of a great Discovery
• Diversity of the team.
• Intentional Divergence where we aim to Discover
completely new information and push boundaries in:
• Product
• Process
• Ourselves
• Explicit Sensemaking.
• Radical Editing resulting in models that provide clarity.
• Problems to solve.
• Validation of insights or solution ideas.
• Focal areas (for action)

14. Diversity of team
How we achieve it:
GOOD: Racial, culture, gender, extrovert,
introvert.
BETTER: Role / function, area of expertise,
depth of experience, radical vs incremental
innovators., Horizon 1 vs Horizon 3 thinkers.
SUPER-CHARGED: No common language,
extremely unrelated domain expertise, use
children as focus group participants.

15. Intentional Divergence
How we achieve it:
GOOD: Question everything, call bullshit.
BETTER: Use specific generative thinking tools such as:
• Provocative Operations: e.g. “People are robots”
• Random word. e.g “Lemon” + Interface =?
• 6 Thinking Hats, CVS2BVS, X10, GBB, etc….
SUPER-CHARGED: Mexican Shaman Don Juan recommends
‘Not-Doings’ - an intentional act that will break your current way
of perceiving.

16. Audience Participation

17. Explicit Sensemaking
How we achieve it:
GOOD: Genius’ staring into the middle distance
whilst listening to Jazz.
BETTER: Collective discussion and formation of a
shared view. Randomly putting elements together.
Critical component being varied perspectives.
SUPER-CHARGED: Using a repeatable formulas
such as ‘narratvies’ which ensures the underlying
equation is used, or inclusion of all 4 types of
Knowledge: Objective, Subjective, Shared, Sensory.
+

18. Ambiguity Ahead…
Fasten your
Seatbelts.

19. It’s ok.
We have equations.

20. Sensemaking Equation
New information
we can observe
and gather
+
Stuff we know as
instruments of
Sensemaking
=
Meaning(ful)
Insights
• Research
• Facts
• Constraints
• Objective Data
• Shared Knowledge
• Mental models
• Other Facts
• Personal collective Goals
• Values / Meaning
• Subjective Knowledge
• Other Shared Knowledge
• Sensory Knowledge
• Previously unrecognised patterns
• Explanations that provide new
meaning
• A model that can be used to
make decisions
• A truth that is actionable beyond
the immediate circumstances

21. A human guide (through that equation)
Facts
New Information
Feelings
Your personal experience
Insights
New truths
Actions
Tangible steps
Sensemaking

24. Potential
Data Point
Goal
Electricity Example
Potential
Data Point
Potential
Data Point
Potential
Data Point
Context: We created this visual representation of the value stream which
surfaced the key needs of the situation. The key issue was to bring the orange
stickies closer together earlier. This represented accuracy of the stock in the
warehouse with stock with thought we had- “closing the gap”.
Potential Data Points: The purple notes are potential data points that we learnt
were available in the system and were important in one way or another. We mapped
them along the value stream to understand how early we could get (and use) that
point. It’s important to note that there are potential data points on both sides of the
stream. If there were not, there would be no advantage in mapping them, as we
could not use them to close the gap.
Goals of the Product Vision: The pink notes are goals that would be achieved by
bringing the two potential data sources together at that point in the value stream.
We were able to discuss which goal could be achieved in practice, how accurate the
data “closing the gap” would be, and which one was more important to focus on.
Goal
Problem
option
#2 to be
solved.
Problem
option
#1 to be
solved.
Decision: It was decided that we would focus on problem option
#2.
When discussing the relative gains, it was agreed that to solve the
problem of aligning data points at the earlier star (#1), the
accuracy would be lower, and the incremental advantage of being
earlier in the timeline would not be worth the effort. This is why we
decided to focus on the later point first.

25. Real Estate Example
After conducting value stream mapping to
identify the primary waste in the system, we
had a hunch about what would improve it the
most; Internet speed, and virtual system
access.
But it was a hunch, and we wanted to be
sure.
So we created a chart (shown on the left) that
plotted the pain points (including gains),
against the desired future state that would
support strategic goals.
Contrary to our hunch, the area we could
have the most impact was Workflows.
We were able to prioritise workflow as an
initial project which would release the
most value in the shortest amount of time.
PainPoints
Gains
Future Capabilities (visioned)

26. Employee Engagement App
An employee engagement app has many
masters. To ensure we include the right
aspects across the person, the company
and the external world, we created a
‘Ready Rekoner’ style cardboard chart
that allowed us to experiment with what
should line up, and what shouldn’t.
Essentially the mental model here is
concentric circles as a ready-reckoner.

27. Any map will do

28. Zen Navigation

29. Story about story arcs if there’s a
whiteboard handy…

30. FUNK

31. FUNKIFICATION

32. Expectations Expectations Expectations
“ShultzHour”

33. So in summary…

34. Discovery_

35. DiscoveryProduct

36. DiscoveryTechnical

37. DiscoveryService

38. DiscoveryStrategy

39. Discovery ?Discovery

40. LIFECYCLE OF AN IDEA?LIFECYCLE OF AN IDEA?
ORG FRAMING PRODUCT STRATEGY DUAL TRACK DELIVERY
Infinite
universe
Things worth
listening to Sense making Ideas Experiments MVPs Products Rebirth/ Death
Who do you
want to be?
What opportunities
are there?
Does anyone want or
need your solution?
Can a usable solution
be built?
Are you
delivering
value?
IN MARKET /
LIFECYCLE

41. Discoveries
can happen
anywhere at
any time
The further
upstream they
occur the more
value they provide

42. Do come flying with us

45. Our shared destination?

46. CLARITY

47. Links and Resources
! ‘Narratives’ - Sensemaking Method by Mike Biggs
! Reflection Cards by Mathias Jakobsen & Dave Gray: http://www.thnkclrly.com/cards/
! Shultz hour Article: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/18/opinion/youre-too-busy-you-need-a-shultz-hour.html
! CVS 2 BVS Thinking Tool: http://schoolofthinking.org/who-dr-michael-hewitt-gleeson/59-second-course-in-thinking/
! 59 Second Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WMSDj9GA4qw
! X10 Thinking Tool: http://x10thinking.com/
! Book PDF here: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1Zns4Qp-CLl2xzm3tK4c1kekMoSzN49U2?usp=sharing
! Provocative Operation Thinking Tool: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Po_(lateral_thinking)
! 6 Thinking Hats Thinking Tool: https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newTED_07.htm
! Essay on Not-Doings http://alangullette.com/essays/philo/stopping.htm
! Great Jazz Playlist: https://open.spotify.com/album/6UlYBgWI5GaHuBwBmdSvPy

48. Level of Abstraction
Strategic Risks identified
to be monitored
Goals & types of
learning required
⟩ • Generative Thinking
• FutureSpectives
• Personal Reflection
• Sensemaking
• Framing
Changes in Society
Our Identity
Our Assets
Coverage not metrics
ActivitiesFocus Area(s)
Hypothesis for new
business models
= Product / Market fit ⟩ • Service Blueprinting
• Business Model Canvas
• Market Analysis
• Competitive Analysis
• How Now Wow
Competitive Environment
Business Models
The Org, the Market
Key Metrics
Hypotheses for new
customers / new
problems to be solved
= Problem / Solution fit
⟩ • Design Thinking
• Kano analysis
• Qualitative Interviews
• Jobs to be Done
• Empathy Maps
Customer problems/ needs
Key metrics
Hypotheses for process
improvement and/or
feature-based product
improvement
⟩ • Value Stream Mapping
• Theory of Constraints
• Contextual Enquiry
Internal process/ value
streams
Alignment to strategy
KPIs
TACTICAL
STRATEGIC
MANDATORYFORINNOVATIONCATALYSTSFORINNOVATION
Outcomes Desired

49. Level of Abstraction
Strategic Risks identified
to be monitored
Goals & types of
learning required
⟩ • Generative Thinking
• FutureSpectives
• Personal Reflection
• Sensemaking
• Framing
Changes in Society
Our Identity
Our Assets
Coverage not metrics
ActivitiesFocus Area(s)
Hypothesis for new
business models
= Product / Market fit ⟩ • Service Blueprinting
• Business Model Canvas
• Market Analysis
• Competitive Analysis
• How Now Wow
Competitive Environment
Business Models
The Org, the Market
Key Metrics
Hypotheses for new
customers / new
problems to be solved
= Problem / Solution fit
⟩ • Design Thinking
• Kano analysis
• Qualitative Interviews
• Jobs to be Done
• Empathy Maps
Customer problems/ needs
Key metrics
Hypotheses for process
improvement and/or
feature-based product
improvement
⟩ • Value Stream Mapping
• Theory of Constraints
• Contextual Enquiry
Internal process/ value
streams
Alignment to strategy
KPIs
TACTICAL
STRATEGIC
MANDATORYFORINNOVATIONCATALYSTSFORINNOVATION
Outcomes Desired
Client knows the level of
outcome(s) required...
We know where to look to
understand & or make
change...
And we know how to apply a
methodology to get the required
outcome...