Over the years, I’ve been brought into inherit digital projects already in motion - often already 12 to 18 months in. These projects where internal teams or third-party providers have already invested a significant time and money. But the project is not delivering. By the time we’re engaged, budgets are exhausted, team morale is low and leadership is frustrated. While the original goals might have been clear, the outcomes are far from expectations.
By the time we’re engaged, budgets are exhausted, team morale is low and leadership is frustrated. While the original goals might have been clear, the outcomes are far from expectations.
Where did things go wrong?
Initial conversations unveil that it’s not because of the technology, or a lack of effort, talent or investment. It’s clear the organisation has tried to pivot and course-correct. But the hard truth? The project was off-track before the first line of code was written.
The symptoms are consistent:
- Wasted dev cycles
- Solutions that might "ship", but don’t stick
- Opportunity cost that’s invisible on the balance sheet
- Rework that erodes morale
Discovery is not a check box
The same root cause appears over and over again: discovery is treated as a formality - a checkbox activity. It's seen as a “get to know you” or requirements-gathering phase, rather than a critical opportunity to define the problem, align on success and bring business and tech together around a shared goal.
Instead of alignment, discovery becomes a backlog of features - a list of outputs, not outcomes.
Having the right people in the room matters. Alongside the right stakeholders and champions, you need someone experienced to lead discovery - someone who deeply understands the domain and the process. This could be an internal expert or a partner who can guide it properly. Without this, you risk falling into the checkbox trap.
Purposeful Discovery - 4 steps that set projects up for success
At HorizonX, we run structured discovery engagements using principles from our Adopt to Accelerate Playbook and our Structured Delivery Process, tailoring the format and cadence to fit each client’s operating environment. This includes a series of high-impact discovery workshops, facilitated by our CTO, Lead Engineer and a dedicated BA/Scrum Master - blending enterprise-level rigour with pragmatic agility.
Here's how we do it:
1. Business Context & Strategic Alignment
- Engage with stakeholders across technology, operations, and business to understand goals, pain points, and desired outcomes.
- Build a shared understanding of strategic drivers—whether it’s customer experience, operational efficiency, or readiness for global scale.
- Translate these drivers into prioritised themes and delivery criteria that guide solution design and roadmap planning.
2. Technical Landscape Mapping & Risk Identification
- Review existing systems (current state) and architectural constraints.
- Document integration points, data flows, and business logic—especially where legacy complexities intersect with new capabilities.
- Identify technical risks, infrastructure limitations, and change dependencies early, so they can be proactively managed.
3. Requirement Discovery & High-Level Estimation
- Use agile backlog grooming techniques to capture business needs, user journeys, epics, and functional requirements.
- Facilitate workshops with structured templates and real-world examples to drive clarity.
- Co-develop a prioritised delivery backlog with rough sizing, aligned to business value and effort. Where appropriate, use story point estimation, MoSCoW prioritisation, and dependency maps to inform sequencing.
4. Delivery Structuring & Governance Planning
- Define roles and responsibilities, including cross-functional involvement from product, tech, and business.
- Set clear governance rhythms: sprint cadence, demo schedules, escalation paths, and decision checkpoints.
- Identify where custom Agile practices are needed to accommodate internal bandwidth, regional engagement (e.g. US/EU teams), and stakeholder structure.
- Shape the delivery roadmap to enable phased releases - de-risking business impact while ensuring continuous value delivery.
3 Questions to ask before you start
If you’re looking to start a new transformation initiative - or reviewing one that’s already in motion – Here are 3 critical questions to ask:
- Are your business and tech teams solving the same problem?
- Is the delivery team clear on why this work matters — not just what to build?
- Have you structured discovery to empower delivery, not delay it?
Final Thoughts
Discovery is more than just a phase — it’s where clarity is built, teams align and decisions are formed through real data and insights. It grounds the project in the original core objectives and balances individual aspirations with practical outcomes.
Skip it, and you risk wasting time, money and trust — with a higher chance of project failure.
Too often, business and tech aren’t aligned. Discovery turns into a feature wish list. Teams move fast — just in the wrong direction.
You either need someone on the ground who knows your domain inside out, or a partner with real expertise. Without that, you’re shipping outputs that miss the problem entirely
Discovery isn’t just checkbox - it’s your first real chance to get it right.
Get Discovery Right - Partner with HorizonX.
We can help ensure it’s more than just a phase or checkbox item. Get in touch to start your digital transformation the right way.
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Over the years, I’ve been brought into inherit digital projects already in motion - often already 12 to 18 months in. These projects where internal teams or third-party providers have already invested a significant time and money. But the project is not delivering. By the time we’re engaged, budgets are exhausted, team morale is low and leadership is frustrated. While the original goals might have been clear, the outcomes are far from expectations.
By the time we’re engaged, budgets are exhausted, team morale is low and leadership is frustrated. While the original goals might have been clear, the outcomes are far from expectations.
Where did things go wrong?
Initial conversations unveil that it’s not because of the technology, or a lack of effort, talent or investment. It’s clear the organisation has tried to pivot and course-correct. But the hard truth? The project was off-track before the first line of code was written.
The symptoms are consistent:
- Wasted dev cycles
- Solutions that might "ship", but don’t stick
- Opportunity cost that’s invisible on the balance sheet
- Rework that erodes morale
Discovery is not a check box
The same root cause appears over and over again: discovery is treated as a formality - a checkbox activity. It's seen as a “get to know you” or requirements-gathering phase, rather than a critical opportunity to define the problem, align on success and bring business and tech together around a shared goal.
Instead of alignment, discovery becomes a backlog of features - a list of outputs, not outcomes.
Having the right people in the room matters. Alongside the right stakeholders and champions, you need someone experienced to lead discovery - someone who deeply understands the domain and the process. This could be an internal expert or a partner who can guide it properly. Without this, you risk falling into the checkbox trap.
Purposeful Discovery - 4 steps that set projects up for success
At HorizonX, we run structured discovery engagements using principles from our Adopt to Accelerate Playbook and our Structured Delivery Process, tailoring the format and cadence to fit each client’s operating environment. This includes a series of high-impact discovery workshops, facilitated by our CTO, Lead Engineer and a dedicated BA/Scrum Master - blending enterprise-level rigour with pragmatic agility.
Here's how we do it:
1. Business Context & Strategic Alignment
- Engage with stakeholders across technology, operations, and business to understand goals, pain points, and desired outcomes.
- Build a shared understanding of strategic drivers—whether it’s customer experience, operational efficiency, or readiness for global scale.
- Translate these drivers into prioritised themes and delivery criteria that guide solution design and roadmap planning.
2. Technical Landscape Mapping & Risk Identification
- Review existing systems (current state) and architectural constraints.
- Document integration points, data flows, and business logic—especially where legacy complexities intersect with new capabilities.
- Identify technical risks, infrastructure limitations, and change dependencies early, so they can be proactively managed.
3. Requirement Discovery & High-Level Estimation
- Use agile backlog grooming techniques to capture business needs, user journeys, epics, and functional requirements.
- Facilitate workshops with structured templates and real-world examples to drive clarity.
- Co-develop a prioritised delivery backlog with rough sizing, aligned to business value and effort. Where appropriate, use story point estimation, MoSCoW prioritisation, and dependency maps to inform sequencing.
4. Delivery Structuring & Governance Planning
- Define roles and responsibilities, including cross-functional involvement from product, tech, and business.
- Set clear governance rhythms: sprint cadence, demo schedules, escalation paths, and decision checkpoints.
- Identify where custom Agile practices are needed to accommodate internal bandwidth, regional engagement (e.g. US/EU teams), and stakeholder structure.
- Shape the delivery roadmap to enable phased releases - de-risking business impact while ensuring continuous value delivery.
3 Questions to ask before you start
If you’re looking to start a new transformation initiative - or reviewing one that’s already in motion – Here are 3 critical questions to ask:
- Are your business and tech teams solving the same problem?
- Is the delivery team clear on why this work matters — not just what to build?
- Have you structured discovery to empower delivery, not delay it?
Final Thoughts
Discovery is more than just a phase — it’s where clarity is built, teams align and decisions are formed through real data and insights. It grounds the project in the original core objectives and balances individual aspirations with practical outcomes.
Skip it, and you risk wasting time, money and trust — with a higher chance of project failure.
Too often, business and tech aren’t aligned. Discovery turns into a feature wish list. Teams move fast — just in the wrong direction.
You either need someone on the ground who knows your domain inside out, or a partner with real expertise. Without that, you’re shipping outputs that miss the problem entirely
Discovery isn’t just checkbox - it’s your first real chance to get it right.
Get Discovery Right - Partner with HorizonX.
We can help ensure it’s more than just a phase or checkbox item. Get in touch to start your digital transformation the right way.
Over the years, I’ve been brought into inherit digital projects already in motion - often already 12 to 18 months in. These projects where internal teams or third-party providers have already invested a significant time and money. But the project is not delivering. By the time we’re engaged, budgets are exhausted, team morale is low and leadership is frustrated. While the original goals might have been clear, the outcomes are far from expectations.
By the time we’re engaged, budgets are exhausted, team morale is low and leadership is frustrated. While the original goals might have been clear, the outcomes are far from expectations.
Where did things go wrong?
Initial conversations unveil that it’s not because of the technology, or a lack of effort, talent or investment. It’s clear the organisation has tried to pivot and course-correct. But the hard truth? The project was off-track before the first line of code was written.
The symptoms are consistent:
- Wasted dev cycles
- Solutions that might "ship", but don’t stick
- Opportunity cost that’s invisible on the balance sheet
- Rework that erodes morale
Discovery is not a check box
The same root cause appears over and over again: discovery is treated as a formality - a checkbox activity. It's seen as a “get to know you” or requirements-gathering phase, rather than a critical opportunity to define the problem, align on success and bring business and tech together around a shared goal.
Instead of alignment, discovery becomes a backlog of features - a list of outputs, not outcomes.
Having the right people in the room matters. Alongside the right stakeholders and champions, you need someone experienced to lead discovery - someone who deeply understands the domain and the process. This could be an internal expert or a partner who can guide it properly. Without this, you risk falling into the checkbox trap.
Purposeful Discovery - 4 steps that set projects up for success
At HorizonX, we run structured discovery engagements using principles from our Adopt to Accelerate Playbook and our Structured Delivery Process, tailoring the format and cadence to fit each client’s operating environment. This includes a series of high-impact discovery workshops, facilitated by our CTO, Lead Engineer and a dedicated BA/Scrum Master - blending enterprise-level rigour with pragmatic agility.
Here's how we do it:
1. Business Context & Strategic Alignment
- Engage with stakeholders across technology, operations, and business to understand goals, pain points, and desired outcomes.
- Build a shared understanding of strategic drivers—whether it’s customer experience, operational efficiency, or readiness for global scale.
- Translate these drivers into prioritised themes and delivery criteria that guide solution design and roadmap planning.
2. Technical Landscape Mapping & Risk Identification
- Review existing systems (current state) and architectural constraints.
- Document integration points, data flows, and business logic—especially where legacy complexities intersect with new capabilities.
- Identify technical risks, infrastructure limitations, and change dependencies early, so they can be proactively managed.
3. Requirement Discovery & High-Level Estimation
- Use agile backlog grooming techniques to capture business needs, user journeys, epics, and functional requirements.
- Facilitate workshops with structured templates and real-world examples to drive clarity.
- Co-develop a prioritised delivery backlog with rough sizing, aligned to business value and effort. Where appropriate, use story point estimation, MoSCoW prioritisation, and dependency maps to inform sequencing.
4. Delivery Structuring & Governance Planning
- Define roles and responsibilities, including cross-functional involvement from product, tech, and business.
- Set clear governance rhythms: sprint cadence, demo schedules, escalation paths, and decision checkpoints.
- Identify where custom Agile practices are needed to accommodate internal bandwidth, regional engagement (e.g. US/EU teams), and stakeholder structure.
- Shape the delivery roadmap to enable phased releases - de-risking business impact while ensuring continuous value delivery.
3 Questions to ask before you start
If you’re looking to start a new transformation initiative - or reviewing one that’s already in motion – Here are 3 critical questions to ask:
- Are your business and tech teams solving the same problem?
- Is the delivery team clear on why this work matters — not just what to build?
- Have you structured discovery to empower delivery, not delay it?
Final Thoughts
Discovery is more than just a phase — it’s where clarity is built, teams align and decisions are formed through real data and insights. It grounds the project in the original core objectives and balances individual aspirations with practical outcomes.
Skip it, and you risk wasting time, money and trust — with a higher chance of project failure.
Too often, business and tech aren’t aligned. Discovery turns into a feature wish list. Teams move fast — just in the wrong direction.
You either need someone on the ground who knows your domain inside out, or a partner with real expertise. Without that, you’re shipping outputs that miss the problem entirely
Discovery isn’t just checkbox - it’s your first real chance to get it right.
Get Discovery Right - Partner with HorizonX.
We can help ensure it’s more than just a phase or checkbox item. Get in touch to start your digital transformation the right way.
Why Most Tech Projects Fail Before They Even Begin.
Over the years, I’ve been brought into inherit digital projects already in motion - often already 12 to 18 months in. These projects where internal teams or third-party providers have already invested a significant time and money. But the project is not delivering. By the time we’re engaged, budgets are exhausted, team morale is low and leadership is frustrated. While the original goals might have been clear, the outcomes are far from expectations.
By the time we’re engaged, budgets are exhausted, team morale is low and leadership is frustrated. While the original goals might have been clear, the outcomes are far from expectations.
Where did things go wrong?
Initial conversations unveil that it’s not because of the technology, or a lack of effort, talent or investment. It’s clear the organisation has tried to pivot and course-correct. But the hard truth? The project was off-track before the first line of code was written.
The symptoms are consistent:
- Wasted dev cycles
- Solutions that might "ship", but don’t stick
- Opportunity cost that’s invisible on the balance sheet
- Rework that erodes morale
Discovery is not a check box
The same root cause appears over and over again: discovery is treated as a formality - a checkbox activity. It's seen as a “get to know you” or requirements-gathering phase, rather than a critical opportunity to define the problem, align on success and bring business and tech together around a shared goal.
Instead of alignment, discovery becomes a backlog of features - a list of outputs, not outcomes.
Having the right people in the room matters. Alongside the right stakeholders and champions, you need someone experienced to lead discovery - someone who deeply understands the domain and the process. This could be an internal expert or a partner who can guide it properly. Without this, you risk falling into the checkbox trap.
Purposeful Discovery - 4 steps that set projects up for success
At HorizonX, we run structured discovery engagements using principles from our Adopt to Accelerate Playbook and our Structured Delivery Process, tailoring the format and cadence to fit each client’s operating environment. This includes a series of high-impact discovery workshops, facilitated by our CTO, Lead Engineer and a dedicated BA/Scrum Master - blending enterprise-level rigour with pragmatic agility.
Here's how we do it:
1. Business Context & Strategic Alignment
- Engage with stakeholders across technology, operations, and business to understand goals, pain points, and desired outcomes.
- Build a shared understanding of strategic drivers—whether it’s customer experience, operational efficiency, or readiness for global scale.
- Translate these drivers into prioritised themes and delivery criteria that guide solution design and roadmap planning.
2. Technical Landscape Mapping & Risk Identification
- Review existing systems (current state) and architectural constraints.
- Document integration points, data flows, and business logic—especially where legacy complexities intersect with new capabilities.
- Identify technical risks, infrastructure limitations, and change dependencies early, so they can be proactively managed.
3. Requirement Discovery & High-Level Estimation
- Use agile backlog grooming techniques to capture business needs, user journeys, epics, and functional requirements.
- Facilitate workshops with structured templates and real-world examples to drive clarity.
- Co-develop a prioritised delivery backlog with rough sizing, aligned to business value and effort. Where appropriate, use story point estimation, MoSCoW prioritisation, and dependency maps to inform sequencing.
4. Delivery Structuring & Governance Planning
- Define roles and responsibilities, including cross-functional involvement from product, tech, and business.
- Set clear governance rhythms: sprint cadence, demo schedules, escalation paths, and decision checkpoints.
- Identify where custom Agile practices are needed to accommodate internal bandwidth, regional engagement (e.g. US/EU teams), and stakeholder structure.
- Shape the delivery roadmap to enable phased releases - de-risking business impact while ensuring continuous value delivery.
3 Questions to ask before you start
If you’re looking to start a new transformation initiative - or reviewing one that’s already in motion – Here are 3 critical questions to ask:
- Are your business and tech teams solving the same problem?
- Is the delivery team clear on why this work matters — not just what to build?
- Have you structured discovery to empower delivery, not delay it?
Final Thoughts
Discovery is more than just a phase — it’s where clarity is built, teams align and decisions are formed through real data and insights. It grounds the project in the original core objectives and balances individual aspirations with practical outcomes.
Skip it, and you risk wasting time, money and trust — with a higher chance of project failure.
Too often, business and tech aren’t aligned. Discovery turns into a feature wish list. Teams move fast — just in the wrong direction.
You either need someone on the ground who knows your domain inside out, or a partner with real expertise. Without that, you’re shipping outputs that miss the problem entirely
Discovery isn’t just checkbox - it’s your first real chance to get it right.
Get Discovery Right - Partner with HorizonX.
We can help ensure it’s more than just a phase or checkbox item. Get in touch to start your digital transformation the right way.
Why Most Tech Projects Fail Before They Even Begin.
Over the years, I’ve been brought into inherit digital projects already in motion - often already 12 to 18 months in. These projects where internal teams or third-party providers have already invested a significant time and money. But the project is not delivering. By the time we’re engaged, budgets are exhausted, team morale is low and leadership is frustrated. While the original goals might have been clear, the outcomes are far from expectations.
By the time we’re engaged, budgets are exhausted, team morale is low and leadership is frustrated. While the original goals might have been clear, the outcomes are far from expectations.
Where did things go wrong?
Initial conversations unveil that it’s not because of the technology, or a lack of effort, talent or investment. It’s clear the organisation has tried to pivot and course-correct. But the hard truth? The project was off-track before the first line of code was written.
The symptoms are consistent:
- Wasted dev cycles
- Solutions that might "ship", but don’t stick
- Opportunity cost that’s invisible on the balance sheet
- Rework that erodes morale
Discovery is not a check box
The same root cause appears over and over again: discovery is treated as a formality - a checkbox activity. It's seen as a “get to know you” or requirements-gathering phase, rather than a critical opportunity to define the problem, align on success and bring business and tech together around a shared goal.
Instead of alignment, discovery becomes a backlog of features - a list of outputs, not outcomes.
Having the right people in the room matters. Alongside the right stakeholders and champions, you need someone experienced to lead discovery - someone who deeply understands the domain and the process. This could be an internal expert or a partner who can guide it properly. Without this, you risk falling into the checkbox trap.
Purposeful Discovery - 4 steps that set projects up for success
At HorizonX, we run structured discovery engagements using principles from our Adopt to Accelerate Playbook and our Structured Delivery Process, tailoring the format and cadence to fit each client’s operating environment. This includes a series of high-impact discovery workshops, facilitated by our CTO, Lead Engineer and a dedicated BA/Scrum Master - blending enterprise-level rigour with pragmatic agility.
Here's how we do it:
1. Business Context & Strategic Alignment
- Engage with stakeholders across technology, operations, and business to understand goals, pain points, and desired outcomes.
- Build a shared understanding of strategic drivers—whether it’s customer experience, operational efficiency, or readiness for global scale.
- Translate these drivers into prioritised themes and delivery criteria that guide solution design and roadmap planning.
2. Technical Landscape Mapping & Risk Identification
- Review existing systems (current state) and architectural constraints.
- Document integration points, data flows, and business logic—especially where legacy complexities intersect with new capabilities.
- Identify technical risks, infrastructure limitations, and change dependencies early, so they can be proactively managed.
3. Requirement Discovery & High-Level Estimation
- Use agile backlog grooming techniques to capture business needs, user journeys, epics, and functional requirements.
- Facilitate workshops with structured templates and real-world examples to drive clarity.
- Co-develop a prioritised delivery backlog with rough sizing, aligned to business value and effort. Where appropriate, use story point estimation, MoSCoW prioritisation, and dependency maps to inform sequencing.
4. Delivery Structuring & Governance Planning
- Define roles and responsibilities, including cross-functional involvement from product, tech, and business.
- Set clear governance rhythms: sprint cadence, demo schedules, escalation paths, and decision checkpoints.
- Identify where custom Agile practices are needed to accommodate internal bandwidth, regional engagement (e.g. US/EU teams), and stakeholder structure.
- Shape the delivery roadmap to enable phased releases - de-risking business impact while ensuring continuous value delivery.
3 Questions to ask before you start
If you’re looking to start a new transformation initiative - or reviewing one that’s already in motion – Here are 3 critical questions to ask:
- Are your business and tech teams solving the same problem?
- Is the delivery team clear on why this work matters — not just what to build?
- Have you structured discovery to empower delivery, not delay it?
Final Thoughts
Discovery is more than just a phase — it’s where clarity is built, teams align and decisions are formed through real data and insights. It grounds the project in the original core objectives and balances individual aspirations with practical outcomes.
Skip it, and you risk wasting time, money and trust — with a higher chance of project failure.
Too often, business and tech aren’t aligned. Discovery turns into a feature wish list. Teams move fast — just in the wrong direction.
You either need someone on the ground who knows your domain inside out, or a partner with real expertise. Without that, you’re shipping outputs that miss the problem entirely
Discovery isn’t just checkbox - it’s your first real chance to get it right.
Get Discovery Right - Partner with HorizonX.
We can help ensure it’s more than just a phase or checkbox item. Get in touch to start your digital transformation the right way.
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