Continuous Discovery: Creating Customer-Centric Software for Maximum Impact

Recently, I have decided to create my first software called MoonGuard, a set of tools designed to enhance the development and debugging experience of Laravel applications. During the process of defining this product, I have explored various ways to create something that truly delivers value to users. The one that has caught my attention the most is known as "Continuous Discovery." I had the opportunity to become familiar with this methodology while working on a software project where it was applied.

During that time, I was recommended the book "Continuous Discovery Habits" by Teresa Torres (this is an Amazon's affiliate link). This book has taught me many interesting things that I would like to share with all of you. You can also check this Youtube video where Teresa explains The What and Why of Continuous Discovery.

In continuous discovery, we focus on the customer, align our thinking with the desired outcomes, and define them effectively. The idea is to create products that fulfill both business objectives and generate value for our customers. I would like to share with you five key concepts that I learned from this book:

Managers must convert society’s needs into opportunities for profitable business.

Putting the customer at the center

The first step is to recognize that the purpose of a business is to create and serve customers. The needs of customers are on par with the needs of the business, allowing us to generate value for both the customer and the business simultaneously. The product is designed to solve the problems, desires, and opportunities of customers in order to make a positive impact.

An outcome is a change in human behavior that drives business results.

Outcome over output

We define success based on achieved objectives, rather than the features and functionalities of a product. We measure success by the impact that the product creates for customers and the business. It is important that the objectives are measurable to track our progress towards them. This approach ensures the development of tangible benefits for customers, making the business sustainable and enabling it to grow over time.

If I had an hour to solve a problem, I'd spend 55 minutes thinking about the problem and 5 minutes thinking about solutions.

Defining objectives effectively

It is important to create an opportunity space diagram, where we define the best path to a desired outcome. We can find valuable information by researching our customers, as well as interacting with them to understand their lives and their most pressing needs. With this information, we generate a tree of opportunities/solutions that provides a visual representation of the paths that can lead us to the desired outcome. This diagram helps us evaluate which opportunities align best with the needs of our business and have the potential to achieve the desired outcome. It enables us to make better decisions and effectively prioritize our efforts.

Collaborative decision-making

Instead of rigid roles and hierarchies, we should implement a model where decisions are made collectively. This allows us to leverage the expertise and knowledge of each team member. The goal is to make better decisions and find innovative solutions by considering diverse perspectives.

Continuous discovery

This is a mindset that we should adopt continuously, rather than considering it as a one-time activity at the beginning of a project. Continuous discovery helps us constantly gather evidence, identify assumptions that may not necessarily be true, and iterate on our solutions. Customer needs change over time, which is why the process is iterative and ongoing. This allows us to be more dynamic and achieve better results.

Certainly, I still have much to learn, but every day I gain new insights and experiences in the process of creating a product, MoonGuard, that users truly love to use.

Stay tuned for more insights and guidance on deploying your Laravel application. Greetings!