Summary
This article explains the purpose and structure of the Discovery Phase within the Workday Project & Change Request Lifecycle. It clarifies what discovery is and is not, outlines key activities and expected outputs, and defines roles to ensure informed, well-governed decisions before solution design or configuration begins.
Body
Discovery Phase
The Discovery Phase is a structured, collaborative effort used by the Business Process Management (BPM) team to understand the business problem, assess impacts, and define success criteria before any solution design or configuration work begins.
What Discovery Is
- A collaborative phase focused on understanding the problem
- An assessment of current-state processes, pain points, and constraints
- A forum to clarify desired outcomes and success criteria
- An input into prioritization and leadership decision-making
- A structured mechanism for surfacing risks, dependencies, and impacts
What Discovery Is Not
- A solution design or configuration session
- A commitment that work will immediately begin
- A guarantee of prioritization or funding
- A one-time meeting
- An evaluation of individual or team performance
Key Discovery Activities
| Activity |
Description |
| Current-State Review |
Review existing business processes, documentation, and system behavior. |
| Pain Point Identification |
Identify gaps, inefficiencies, risks, or operational challenges. |
| Stakeholder Engagement |
Conduct interviews, working sessions, or facilitated discussions. |
| Outcome Definition |
Clarify desired outcomes, success measures, and constraints. |
Discovery Outputs
- Documented problem statement
- Summary of current-state findings
- Identified impacts, risks, and dependencies
- Recommended path forward
- Input into prioritization and planning decisions
Roles & Responsibilities During Discovery
- BPM Team: Facilitates discovery, documents findings, and provides structured analysis.
- Stakeholders: Provide subject-matter expertise, context, and validation.
- Leadership: Reviews discovery outputs to inform prioritization and direction.