I wonder if we are doing things as fast as possible in this digital world. Discovery can take many forms, including questionnaires, group meetings, one-to-ones, demonstrations, etc…. all done virtually, reducing our carbon footprint and delivering our findings virtually as well.
But, as I reminisce over all the discovery projects I have done, there is a distinct difference in the discovery findings that initiate an implementation project. Whilst I did many onsite workshops, much like my virtual ones today, there were the ‘coffee machine’ moments. A topic that caught my interest in the workshop to explore later.
Catching up with an individual during a coffee break (other drinks are available!) would lead to a ride-along of the problem being encountered daily, either individually or collectively as users. The insight would unlock questions you would not have thought to ask and provide conclusive answers to questions you had.
Sometimes stakeholders might have a vision of what they want that can be challenging to grasp. A ride-along with a team member is a great way to get a feel for the ‘as-is’ and appreciate the ask of the ‘to-be’. You can enhance your stakeholder’s vision of productivity improvements with a ride-along that leads to game-changer developments that improve productivity and deliver better customer experience, be they the user or the client.
The outcome of these ride-alongs is a more conclusive solution design that justifies project estimations and more readily achieves stakeholder buy-in and sign-off.
I feel that onsite ride-alongs can give you insights you will never achieve in workshops. Would you like cloudfortyseven to have a ride-along with you to find out how well your CRM system is performing?
