Product Discovery
Product discovery is the research phase that precedes development, aimed at validating that a problem is real and significant enough, and that the proposed solution actually addresses it. It relies on user interviews, concept testing, and existing usage data rather than internal assumptions.
On a SaaS project, this phase often takes the form of a series of interviews with prospective users, backed by a clickable prototype tested before any development starts. It can reveal, for instance, that a feature considered essential internally actually interests only a small share of users, saving several weeks of development. It logically precedes user story mapping, once the problem and direction are validated.
A common mistake is running discovery as a formality, asking questions that confirm what the team already believes rather than open questions that challenge its assumptions. Another limit worth knowing: discovery doesn't replace real usage, some problems only surface once the product is in users' hands under real conditions. It reduces risk, it doesn't eliminate it.
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