Who should be involved in the solution discovery process? Key roles
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In software development, starting a project without a clear understanding of the problems to be solved is a recipe for failure. This is where the solution discovery process comes in, a critical phase that determines the success of any technology initiative.
However, this process should not be carried out alone. Involving the right roles from the beginning is critical to ensuring a viable, scalable solution aligned with business objectives.
What is the solution discovery process?
Solution discovery is a preliminary stage in software development that seeks to thoroughly understand business challenges, user needs, and technical limitations before designing or building a solution.
It's not just about defining functionalities; it's about discovering the "why" behind the need, identifying opportunities, and defining the most strategic path.
This process saves time, reduces rework costs, and ensures that the final product fulfills its purpose.
Companies like Rootstack have extensive experience executing solution discovery processes, guiding organizations across diverse industries toward sound technological decisions from the start.
Key roles in the Solution Discovery process
Below are the roles that should be actively involved in this process, along with their responsibilities:
1. Business stakeholders
Responsibility: Provide the strategic vision and business objectives.
Stakeholders (such as CEOs, department heads, or product managers) should be present from the beginning of the solution discovery process. They best understand the business challenges and can validate whether a proposed solution truly contributes to the expected results.
Their involvement ensures that the technical approach is aligned with the company's strategic priorities. Additionally, their insight helps identify business risks and define success metrics.
2. Product Owner
Responsibility: Translate business needs into functional requirements.
The Product Owner acts as the bridge between stakeholders and the technical team. During solution discovery, this role is responsible for organizing priorities, validating ideas with users, and collaborating on defining the minimum viable scope (MVP). They must also understand the market and be clear about the solution's objectives.
At Rootstack, our Product Owners have led multiple solution discovery processes, helping clients visualize the true impact of their solutions before a single line of code is written.
3. End users
Responsibility: Share your experiences, frustrations and expectations.
You can't design an effective solution without understanding who will be using it. Including real users or representatives in interview sessions, surveys, or proof of concept tests provides a realistic perspective.
Their participation ensures that the solution fits their workflows and solves real problems.
By hearing directly from users, you can avoid costly assumption errors in later stages.
4. Business analyst
Responsibility: Research, document, and analyze requirements.
The business analyst breaks down the information gathered from stakeholders and users into clear, specific requirements. During the solution discovery process, this person identifies business rules, bottlenecks, automation opportunities, and redundant processes.
Their work enables them to make data-driven decisions and create flowcharts, use cases, and other useful resources for the technical team.
5. UX/UI Designer
Responsibility: Propose user-centered experiences and interfaces.
Designing without context is risky. That's why, during solution discovery, UX/UI designers work on wireframes, prototypes, and experience maps that help visually validate ideas.
Their approach ensures that the solution not only works, but is also intuitive and satisfying for the user.
At Rootstack, we have specialized designers who are actively involved in this stage, ensuring that the user experience is considered from day one.
6. Software architect / CTO
Responsibility: Evaluate the technical feasibility of the proposed solution.
A software architect or CTO must validate whether ideas can be implemented efficiently and securely. They also help define the ideal architecture, necessary tools, integrations, security patterns, and scalability.
This role is key to preventing the project from falling into technically unfeasible or expensive solutions.
7. Project manager
Responsibility: Ensure the process moves forward in a structured manner.
During the solution discovery process, the Project Manager facilitates meetings, ensures documentation, and manages time and resource expectations.
Although they don't always make technical or business decisions, their coordination role is critical to maintaining the pace and avoiding deviations.
Why is it so important to have the right team?
Solution discovery shouldn't be a haphazard process. When any of the key roles are missing, you run the risk of developing a solution that doesn't solve the right problem, or does so inefficiently.
At Rootstack, we understand that a successful solution is born from strategic collaboration. That's why we offer a multidisciplinary team that has worked with companies from different sectors in solution discovery processes, helping them build solid foundations for their product development.
Benefits of a well-executed solution discovery
- Full alignment between technology and business objectives.
- Risk reduction, thanks to early validation of ideas.
- Lower costs, avoiding rework or abrupt changes of course.
- Greater speed in the development stage, since the path is clear.
- User satisfaction, by designing based on real needs.
The solution discovery process is much more than a simple kickoff meeting. It's a strategic exercise that defines the direction of a project and prevents costly mistakes. To be truly effective, it must involve the right stakeholders: from business leaders to the technical team, including end users.
At Rootstack, we have the experience and the ideal team to carry out comprehensive, agile, and results-focused solution discovery processes. Contact us!