All insights

Operations1 min read

Decode first, build second

Use discovery to define the input, decisions and output of a workflow before committing to its product scope.

HATT Product Lab · · Updated

A workflow discussion is more productive with a real example. Bring a request, document or record and follow what happens to it, including the steps that occur outside the main tool.

Establish the starting point

Identify what triggers the task and which information must be available. Distinguish a complete input from one that still needs clarification. That difference shapes the first useful screen and its validation.

Make decisions explicit

Name the role that acts at each stage and the evidence it uses. Record what happens when the usual person is unavailable or a case does not meet the rule.

A normal-path diagram is not enough if the expensive work occurs in exceptions. Include a recent corrected or rejected case in the discussion.

Define a useful output

Specify what the next role needs to receive and how it knows the task is complete. Then choose a product scope that can deliver that result without leaving an essential step undefined.

The product pages help prepare this information. HATT's services connect discovery with product design and engineering; the product stories show examples of the work.

End of note / 44Back to the notebook

From thinking to making

Let’s make the
work clearer.

Start a conversation