Phase 1: Strategy and Vision

 In the first phase, we define, design, and deliver. The first step involves defining an idea, identifying the business value, and determining the initiative under which the project will fall. Next, we clarify the main problem being addressed and outline the use cases that support it. Once these elements are aligned, the team can design the experience by creating a high-level workflow, sometimes referred to as a ‘Do/Go Map’. This approach allows us to design a solution that meets all business requirements while outlining the experience without delving too deeply into the actual user interface (UI) and content design. In some cases, it may be beneficial to test high-level concepts based on the workflow. After testing, revisions can be made to the high-level workflow. Once the team agrees on a workflow that addresses all business requirements, it is added to the development backlog, with all elements from the strategy and experience phases compiled into an epic and prepared for development.

In the second phase, we define, design, develop, and deliver. First, we extract the epics from the development backlog and, considering technical limitations, time constraints, funding, and other factors, plan the releases. We refine the epics into features and user stories for the development team to commence their work. A feature can be broken down into its Minimum Viable Product (MVP) as well as enhancement releases, ultimately culminating in the final product. Part of defining the features and releases involves identifying the design assets required for each specific feature and user story. Once the features are fully developed, the design team can begin creating the necessary design assets, which, once approved, can be handed off to the development team. After a developer completes a user story, it should be reviewed by all stakeholders before being released to the public. The final step of the execution phase is the delivery and release to the public, which entails collaboration and coordination among the line of business (LOB)/product team, the development team, support, marketing, and any other change management processes that need to occur.

 Phases 1 and 2 address only four of the five D’s, as the fifth D (Discover) is the most crucial. The other D’s are insignificant without it. This phase is not explicitly explained in either phase because, first, it is the most important, and second, it should be integrated throughout the entire process. As the team works on a feature, they will encounter problems, generate new ideas, and receive feedback from stakeholders. Once the feature is live, customer feedback, analytics, and updated technology will also need to be considered. All of these new features, challenges, technical debt, and design debt will continuously feed the product backlog, which in turn feeds the development backlog. If this process is executed correctly, the workflow should never slow down, and the backlog will continue to grow, ensuring a never-ending cycle of building the backlog, addressing features and challenges, and producing high-quality products and features.