Conversations and investigation
Listen to the people asking for the work and those who will do or use it. Follow real examples and explore where their accounts differ.
Turn an idea or concern into work people understand.
People may be discussing a solution before they have had enough time to agree the problem. We create room for those conversations, examine how work happens today and help define what needs to change. If the work is already well understood, we build on that.
When to bring us in
Does this sound familiar?
- People describe the same project differently.
- A proposed solution is clear, but the problem it needs to solve is not.
- Teams are being asked to estimate work before they understand what it includes.
What we can help with
Work out what needs doing
Defining the project
Agree why the work matters, what it should achieve, what is included and what sits outside it. Identify the people and other work it depends on.
Requirements people can use
Break the work into clear descriptions. Agree what each part needs to do and how people will know it is complete; these become requirements and acceptance criteria.
Options and next steps
Work through possible approaches and the questions that still need answers. Put the findings into a form leaders and teams can use to decide what happens next.
What you can expect
- A clear description of the problem and intended result
- Agreed project boundaries and requirements
- The people, decisions and other work it depends on
- Practical options and a recommended next step
How we know it is helping
Agree which questions need answers. Look for a shared understanding of the work, with assumptions and remaining disagreements made clear.
The depth of the work depends on what is already known and access to the people and information involved.
Talk through your situation
Tell us what is happening and we can work out where we can help.