What is the Discovery Phase & Why Do I Need It?

If you are one of our potential clients, it’s likely that you have been around the block and have heard the term “discovery” more times than you can count. The discovery process is the first step taken in moving from a prospective client to an actual client; it’s the time when a professional digs in deep, asking pertinent questions and figuring out what the client is seeking. From what I can tell, this is becoming a standard in our industry. Why? Because building software (websites, apps, et al) is hard. One of our industry’s running jokes is that every project will be under-scoped and over-budget.
According to Hofstadter’s law, “It always takes longer than you expect, even when you take into account Hofstadter’s Law.”
This truth is magnified when estimates are requested before understanding the entire scope of the work needing to be done.
There are actually many reasons projects go over budget or time — some positive and some negative:
A key requirement is missed during the requirements-gathering phase.
A simple line-item balloons into days of work (For example,”Import items through ACME API” turns into days of
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source https://williechiu40.wordpress.com/2017/01/25/what-is-the-discovery-phase-why-do-i-need-it/