Discovery & Alignment
Weeks 1–3 | Define scope, validate needs, confirm direction
Stakeholders
Discover Needs
Technical
Assess Capabilities
Scope
Define Features
Week 1
Non-technical discovery
Meetings
- Exec / sponsor kickoff
- Team vision workshop
- Pain point session
Structure
- 10m Introductions
- 20m Current workflow
- 20m Pain points
- 15m Success metrics
Key Questions
- What is the product trying to achieve?
- Who are users, what do they struggle with?
- What is slow, confusing, or manual?
- Biggest desired business outcome?
Week 2
Product & tech discovery
Meetings
- Workflow walkthrough
- API/Tech capability session
- Cross-functional discovery
Structure
- 10m W1 Insights Recap
- 20m Daily workflows
- 20m Tech constraints
- 15m Risk alignment
Key Questions
- Walk us through workflow step by step?
- What does a normal day look like?
- What systems/APIs already exist?
- What technical risks exist?
Week 3
Scope definition
Meetings
- Feature prioritization
- Tradeoff session
- Final sign-off meeting
Structure
- 10m Findings Review
- 20m Feature options
- 20m Prioritize top 3–5
- 15m In/Out of scope
Key Questions
- Which 3–5 features matter most?
- Must-have vs nice-to-have?
- What is the minimum useful version?
- Who signs off on the final list?
Feature Development
Weeks 4–6 | Build the top 3–5 most desired features
Sprint Kickoff
Plan & Assign
Build & Validate
Code & Early Feedback
Review & Freeze
QA & Sign-off
Week 4
Sprint kickoff & initiate build
Meetings
- Sprint planning session
- Dev environment setup check
- Design handoff review
Structure
- 15m Scope recap
- 20m Feature task breakdown
- 20m Technical spike discussion
- 10m Team assignments
Key Questions
- What's the definition of done for each feature?
- What dependencies need resolving first?
- Are there unknowns that need a spike?
- Who is the decision owner per feature?
Week 5
Core build & early feedback
Meetings
- Mid-build check-in
- Early user feedback session
- Internal demo
Structure
- 10m Build status update
- 20m Live demo of progress
- 20m User feedback discussion
- 10m Adjustment decisions
Key Questions
- Does the early build match Phase 1 expectations?
- What assumptions are being challenged?
- What needs to change before Week 6?
- Are we on track for a stable build?
Week 6
Review, QA & feature freeze
Meetings
- Full team review session
- QA & bug triage
- Feature freeze sign-off
Structure
- 10m Recap what was built
- 30m Demo all features
- 20m Issue triage (critical vs. defer)
- 10m Go/no-go for piloting
Key Questions
- Is the product stable enough for real users?
- What known issues exist before freezing?
- Are there blockers to freezing development?
- Is the team confident to hand off to testers?
Pilot Testing
Weeks 7–8 | Stable product release for real usage scenarios
Real-World Testing & Onboarding
- Providers & educators test stable product in real scenarios.
- Observe usage and capture initial organic feedback.
Session Structure
- 15m Product walkthrough
- 20m Guided first-use session
- 15m Tester questions
- 10m Expectations for W8
Key Questions
- Can testers use it without hand-holding?
- Are there immediate blockers to natural use?
- What do testers gravitate toward first?
Structured Data Collection
Collect structured feedback and confirm readiness for the final review phase.
Feedback Template
What We're Measuring
Feature Usage
Frequency per feature
Task Completion
Rate of successful flows
Drop-off Points
Where users get stuck
Satisfaction
Qualitative score
Review & Go / No-Go Decision
Weeks 9–11 | Analyze results, resolve issues, decide next steps
Performance Signals
Analysis & Impact
- Review feedback from providers & educators.
- Identify what worked and what was confusing.
- Review business impact signals.
- Produce a clear recommendation.
Session Structure
- 15m Feedback summary review
- 20m Feature-by-feature scoring
- 15m Critical issue identification
- 10m Draft recommendation
Triage & Strategy
- Review usage data & performance signals.
- Decide what gets fixed now.
- Decide what gets deferred.
- Prepare leadership recommendation.
Session Structure
- 15m Usage data walkthrough
- 20m Issue triage (fix vs. defer)
- 15m Decision owner alignment
- 10m Finalise recommendation deck
Decision Criteria
EvidenceHigh adoption, no critical blockers
ActionMove to production
EvidencePositive feedback, low adoption
ActionMore users, more time
EvidenceCritical issues remain
ActionOne more iteration
Final Decision
Final go/no-go decision with stakeholders.
This Phase Must Answer
- Did the pilot solve the right problem?
- Are there critical issues blocking adoption?
- Is the product ready to expand to more users?
- Do we need another iteration before launch?
- What is the clearest next step based on evidence?