Enterprise Discovery Framework

Over many years of successful enterprise engagements, SoftSolex has documented a comprehensive set of discovery benchmarks that guide new software product development initiatives. For clear direction and successful delivery, we outline 11 questions that are crucial to discuss when planning any enterprise-scale engagement.

1. What is the objective of this initiative?

It is important for both parties to reach consensus on the purpose of each project. While scope can expand or contract through collaboration due to unforeseen complexity, the core objective must remain consistent. Are you validating a prototype with end users, delivering core operational functionality, or expanding into a new market segment? Revisiting the MVP approach during this phase helps clarify deliverable expectations.

2. What is the intended solution?

Although this may seem obvious, the intended solution is rarely articulated at the beginning of project discussions. This oversight becomes problematic when the product is deep into development and objectives suddenly appear incoherent. Understanding the "why" behind the solution helps stakeholders better define end-user needs and avoid product misalignment early in the SDLC.

3. Who is the user base?

Pre-aligning product requirements with expected user profiles is critical to delivering a viable and valuable solution. Enterprise software must account for complex permission models, role-based access control, and operational workflows. Referencing the product-use assumption model allows the team to gain clarity and incorporate authentic user behavior into core functionality design.

The use-case model provides enterprise-grade consistency that aligns with market requirements and directs user needs to the development roadmap.

4. What should the application or system do?

This is important for creating clear wireframes and technical schematics. To eliminate assumptions, different operational scenarios must be mapped after the basic functions of the system are expressed in easy-to-understand functional specifications.

5. What is your domain expertise?

Every industry leverages technology to advantage adjacent processes. Industry-specific UI/UX design is as important as the security and compliance requirements of that vertical. Understanding industry value drivers helps align product markets with competitive advantages and key feature sets.

6. On which platforms will the product be available?

If a client is already actively deployed on a platform, it is crucial to account for the relevant features and constraints to enable easier scaling, access, and long-term management across the enterprise.

7. Are third-party integrations likely?

If the development team has a clear understanding of how the product connects with third-party systems, the architecture, processes, and security audits can be designed much more effectively. It is important to plan API contracts even if the initial version will not expose them as public endpoints.

8. What team knowledge is needed?

Beyond technical expertise, team leadership and industry-specific domain knowledge in areas such as legal, compliance, or operational management can have a profound impact on product development success.

9. What is your development timeline?

In addition to impacting resource allocation and communication, the timeline is essential for coordinating resources to optimize the delivery cycle. While deadlines are real in enterprise Scrum, understanding constraints helps better coordinate resources, avoid delays, and set realistic expectations across all stakeholder groups.

10. What technologies will be used?

Consider your existing talent pool, and then evaluate new solutions that may require additional training, coding, and execution investment. This is critical in determining the specific code maintenance and long-term support requirements.

11. What are your priorities and success criteria?

From our successful enterprise partnerships, we understand that stakeholders often want all features live from the first version. As a capability partner, our goal is to deliver robust, production-ready systems. This means we always discuss what is feasible and then prioritize the backlog so that a clear path forward is always agreed upon and visible.

We will always discuss what is feasible and then prioritize workloads so that a positive, actionable path forward is always agreed upon and clearly in sight.