01. Discovery through Empathy

Discovery is a preliminary phase in the UX design process that involves researching the problem space and gathering enough evidence to help frame the problem(s) to be solved. Discoveries do not involve testing hypotheses or solutions.

Skills and frameworks that have proven valuable include user interviews, surveys, empathy mapping, user needs statements and persona development. Super effective: 5 Whys technique (link)

02. Defining and understanding Value

It's important to have a deep understanding of the value your product aims to provide to users. This involves identifying the core benefits and outcomes that users expect or desire. By grasping the value proposition, you can align your design decisions and efforts to deliver that value. This alignment is critical if you want your organization to be product-led rather than sales-led.

During the definition stage, we define the core value we want to deliver (e.g., for a new product launch) or frame the problems users are facing within existing flows. This step is critical as it sets boundaries on the desired outcome of any design experimentation by defining the metrics of success.

Techniques such as value proposition canvases, user journey mapping, and empathy mapping can help you gain insights into user motivations, pain points, and desired outcomes.