Discovery deliverables – What you’ll receive

The three documents

Discovery produces three main documents, each covering a different stage:

1. Context brief – What we learned about your business, goals, and requirements
2. Research report – What we found through independent research and analysis
3. Strategy blueprint – The complete plan showing exactly what to build and how

The depth and detail in each document depends on your discovery package tier. See what’s included in each tier.

What’s included

• Business & Goals – Your business model, success metrics, and strategic objectives Your business model and how you make money
• Project success metrics (what we’re measuring)
• Competitive landscape and market positioning
• Strategic goals this project supports
• Users & Audience – Who will use this and what they need Who will use this product
• What they’re trying to accomplish
• Current frustrations with existing solutions
• Must-have features vs. nice-to-have features
• Technical Requirements – Existing systems, tools, and constraints Existing systems and tools that need to integrate
• Current brand assets and content
• Analytics data and insights (if available)
• Technical constraints and non-negotiables
• Scope & Constraints – What’s in, what’s out, and project boundaries What’s in scope, what’s out of scope, what’s uncertain
• Budget parameters and timeline expectations
• Legal, compliance, and security requirements
• Project stakeholders and decision-making process
• Risk Assessment – Potential problems identified early Potential problems we’ve identified
• Areas of uncertainty that need research
• Red flags that could derail the project
• Recommendations for Research stage focus

Why it matters

The Context Brief prevents expensive miscommunication. Everyone involved can reference it to stay aligned. When scope questions arise mid-project, you have documented answers.

It also catches mismatches early. If you asked for X but actually need Y, the Context Brief surfaces that gap before you spend money building the wrong thing.

How to use it

During Discovery:

• Review it carefully to confirm we captured everything correctly
• Flag anything that’s missing or misunderstood
• Use it as the foundation for Research stage decisions

After Discovery:

• Share it with your team so everyone’s aligned
• Reference it when making project decisions
• Use it to onboard new stakeholders mid-project
• Keep it handy during development to resolve scope questions

What’s included

• Competitor Analysis – What competitors are doing and opportunities to differentiate Who your direct competitors are and what they’re doing
• Their strengths and weaknesses
• Features they offer and how they position themselves
• Opportunities to differentiate
• User Research – User behavior patterns, personas, and journey maps User behavior patterns and motivations
• Analytics insights (if you have existing data)
• User personas (2-4 primary types with goals, frustrations, motivations)
• Journey maps showing how users move through similar products
• Market & Design Context – Industry trends and design patterns What’s working in your industry right now
• Design trends and UI patterns relevant to your space
• What users expect as standard vs. what would stand out
• Gaps in the market where you can differentiate
• Technical Feasibility – Platform options and technical recommendations Platform and framework options evaluated
• Third-party integration possibilities
• Technical risks and constraints identified
• Hosting and infrastructure recommendations
• Content & SEO Strategy – Site structure and keyword opportunities Site structure and information architecture
• Keyword research and SEO opportunities
• Content types needed and messaging direction
• Strategic Recommendations – Key insights and suggested changes Key insights that should shape your approach
• Suggested changes based on what we found
• Areas where research contradicted initial assumptions

Why it matters

Research turns “we think” into “we know.” You’re making decisions based on evidence, not guesses. When research contradicts your assumptions, you find out before building—when it’s cheap to adjust course.

The Research Report also uncovers opportunities you couldn’t see from inside your business. Competitors might be doing something brilliant (or terrible) that reveals a gap. User behavior might point to features you hadn’t considered.

How to use it

During Discovery:

• Review findings and discuss what surprised you
• Walk through contradictions between Context and Research together
• Use insights to inform Strategy stage decisions
• Decide which recommendations to implement

After Discovery:

• Use personas and journey maps during design
• Reference competitor analysis when making feature decisions
• Share user behavior insights with your team
• Keep SEO recommendations handy for content creation
• Revisit it when priorities shift or new questions arise

What’s included

• User Experience & Design – Wireframes, user journeys, and UX strategy Wireframes for all major screens/pages
• User journey maps showing ideal paths from landing to converting
• UX strategy applying behavioral principles and accessibility standards
• Mobile-first design considerations
• Technical Planning – Platform, infrastructure, and technical architecture Platform, hosting, and infrastructure decisions
• Third-party integrations (APIs, payment, email, analytics)
• Core technical functions and data structure
• Security and compliance strategy (SSL, authentication, GDPR/accessibility)
• Scalability and performance targets
• Content Strategy – Site structure, messaging, and SEO approach Website structure and content architecture
• Content types needed for each section
• Messaging framework and tone guidance
• SEO strategy and keyword targeting
• Content migration plan (if applicable)
• Project Planning – Timeline, budget, and MVP scope Detailed timeline with phases and milestones
• Budget estimate broken down by major components
• What’s in version 1 vs. what waits for later (MVP scope)
• Resource requirements and team roles
• Risk mitigation strategies
• Performance & Analytics – Success metrics and tracking strategy Success metrics and KPIs to track
• Analytics implementation plan
• Performance targets (load time, conversion goals)
• A/B testing opportunities
• Quality Assurance & Launch – Testing, deployment, and post-launch planning QA testing approach and checklist
• Launch plan with deployment steps
• Post-launch monitoring strategy
• Support and maintenance considerations
• Conversion Optimization – CTA strategy and user flow optimization CTA placement and messaging strategy
• Trust signals and social proof integration
• User flow optimization for conversions
• Visual & Brand Strategy – Design direction and brand consistency Design direction and brand consistency approach
• Visual hierarchy and typography decisions
• Color psychology and trust-building elements

Why it matters

The Strategy Blueprint prevents mid-build chaos. Wireframes get approved before development starts, so there’s no “I thought it would look different” moment when it’s expensive to change.

Technical conflicts surface on paper, not in code. Budget and timeline expectations are set with real numbers, not guesses. You’re making informed trade-offs between features, cost, and timeline before committing serious money.

How to use it

During development:

• Developers reference technical specifications
• Designers use wireframes as the foundation for visual design
• Content team follows content strategy and messaging framework
• Project managers track against timeline and budget

For decision-making:

• When scope questions arise, reference the MVP definition
• When timeline pressure builds, consult the phased roadmap
• When budget concerns surface, review the breakdown to make informed cuts
• When stakeholders disagree, point to documented decisions and rationale

After launch:

• Use performance targets to measure success
• Follow post-launch strategy for monitoring and iteration
• Reference analytics plan to track what matters
• Keep it as the blueprint for future phases and features

Essential:

• Core sections in each document
• Essential research activities covered
• Foundational strategy defined

Just right:

• Adds deeper user research and competitive analysis
• More comprehensive content and SEO strategy
• Expanded technical planning

Complete:

• Includes market positioning and design context research
• Full conversion optimization strategy
• Complete launch planning and post-launch strategy
• MVP scoping and roadmap definition

See the complete breakdown of what’s included in each tier.