Understanding Project Context: Who are your clients & users?

When I begin a project and start digging in, I need to understand what you know about your clients and users.  A verbal walk-through and a pointer to representative case studies will help kick off the learning process. Any description, profile, or conversations with clients and users will help frame what is known. Tell me about… Continue reading Understanding Project Context: Who are your clients & users?

Understanding Project Context: Who is your competition?

When starting a project it is so easy to jump straight to ideas and potential solutions. Too often it is an afterthought to discuss the competition. Understanding what the competition is and where they are succeeding helps frame the space and the expectations set for the project. Which companies do you regularly encounter today when selling… Continue reading Understanding Project Context: Who is your competition?

Understanding Project Context: What are your current products?

Let’s take an initial look at your products and users. Walk me through end to end like a user interacting with your products. What are the various ways an end user might interact with the company to get their work done? Let’s follow that trail and orient me to your current solutions. Here we can go into… Continue reading Understanding Project Context: What are your current products?

Understanding Project Context: What are the current technologies used?

Given the different products you have as well as the skills in house, describe the technologies you have. Understanding current technologies provides me with a frame of reference for what you are comfortable with and how the organization sees the world. What technology do you use? What are the skill sets of the employees you have? Why was… Continue reading Understanding Project Context: What are the current technologies used?

Understanding Project Context: What business are you in?

Even when I have a lot of experience working within a domain, it is crucial to get the business perspective from you, the client. Beyond your marketing materials and your website to what you really do. Understanding the direction and focus of your business will help frame the solutions we explore. What business are you in?… Continue reading Understanding Project Context: What business are you in?