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Discovery Phase Service For Software Development Projects

The software product discovery phase can deliver several benefits, including reducing costs, improving user experience, identifying risks, and learning more about the niche. This “step 0” does not require a huge budget or time commitment, but the results will serve as a foundation for every subsequent step as you move further into the development process.

Discovery Phase Service

What is the discovery phase in software development?

The software development discovery phase consists of substantial research that is done prior to any significant design and development. During the discovery phase, stakeholders, investors, and business owners define the scope of the work, deadlines, the main goal of the project, and the target audience.

Why opt for the discovery phase?

  • To build a product validated by the market.

  • To design a perfect user experience.

  • To set clear goals and deadlines.

  • To provide your team with market context.

  • To get a detailed project estimate and scope.

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Why opt for the discovery phase?

  • To build a product validated by the market.

  • To design a perfect user experience.

  • To set clear goals and deadlines.

  • To provide your team with market context.

  • To get a detailed project estimate and scope.

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Without the software discovery phase:

  • You will get a product that nobody needs.

  • Your budget will be wrong.

  • You will not meet the deadlines.

  • Your team will feel lost.

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Without the software discovery phase:

  • You will get a product that nobody needs.

  • Your budget will be wrong.

  • You will not meet the deadlines.

  • Your team will feel lost.

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You need the discovery phase service of a software project if:

The project discovery phase will allow you to clearly define your business goals, set realistic expectations about your future product, and create the first UX/UI wireframes and prototypes. These will play a significant role during your negotiations with investors.

Suppose you already have an established business and want to optimize your processes or look for new niches. In that case, the software product discovery phase will serve as a solid foundation for change. The discovery phase will result in the necessary documentation, tech stack, and budget estimate.

If you want to develop a new product to support your business ecosystem, a discovery phase will help you identify if your initiative is worth the risk. If it is, you will have all the necessary tools to start full-scale development.

It may happen that the product you already have is underperforming or has some issues that you need to fix. With the help of a thorough discovery research phase, you will be able to identify bottlenecks and examine the opportunities for change.

YWS > Discovery Phase Service Page > You need the discovery phase of a project 
if you are > Image

Benefits of choosing a software discovery phase service

The discovery phase of product development has several major benefits that will boost the chances of your solution succeeding in the market.

Risk reduction

A discovery phase will provide you and your team with the necessary data to decide whether to continue development. You will know about possible risks and be prepared for them.

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Risk reduction

A discovery phase will provide you and your team with the necessary data to decide whether to continue development. You will know about possible risks and be prepared for them.

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User validation

When you have a clickable prototype on your hands, you can do more than just show it to stakeholders or investors; you can also beta test groups of your target audience to receive real user feedback.

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User validation

When you have a clickable prototype on your hands, you can do more than just show it to stakeholders or investors; you can also beta test groups of your target audience to receive real user feedback.

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Cost reduction

The discovery phase in software development is not costly compared to the full-scale process, so if you decide that the idea is not worth the risk, your final expenses will be minimal.

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Cost reduction

The discovery phase in software development is not costly compared to the full-scale process, so if you decide that the idea is not worth the risk, your final expenses will be minimal.

Read more

Transparent goals

A discovery phase will give your team a clear understanding of the project. They will know why each feature is needed and what user pain point it solves.

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Transparent goals

A discovery phase will give your team a clear understanding of the project. They will know why each feature is needed and what user pain point it solves.

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Who is involved in the discovery phase services of a software project?

The discovery phase of a software development project requires the following project team:

Discovery phase of a software development project: How do we work

A discovery phase of a project is a well-structured process. The structure helps you and your team clearly see what you should do and why you should do it.

Stages of the discovery phase

What our software discovery process looks like:

Discovery phase of a project: Deliverables with Yellow

When the discovery services for software development are finished, you will receive the following project discovery phase deliverables to move on with your idea:

Mind map
User stories descriptions
Buyer personas descriptions
Competitive analysis report
Technical solution proposal
A clickable prototype

Mind map

A diagram showing the general structure and high-level pages/features of the future product

You need this to:
  • Get a general idea of the project in a short time

  • Define the scope of potential tasks

  • Understand the project’s structure for building its architecture

  • Notice and fix the logical gaps and loops early on

YWS > Discovery Phase Service Page > Deliverables with Yellow > List > Mind map > Block 2 > Image

User stories descriptions

A set of the product’s feature lists based on user roles.

You need this to:
  • Prioritize the features necessary for MVP

  • Save development time and budget

YWS > Discovery Phase Service Page > Deliverables with Yellow > List > User stories descriptions > Block 2 > Image

Buyer personas descriptions

A generalized representation of a potential future user. It includes a demographic description, potential interests, fears, and pain points that the product will solve.

You need this to:
  • Understand how to make the product as simple and easy to use as possible

  • Concentrate on the value for the end user

YWS > Discovery Phase Service Page > Deliverables with Yellow > List > Buyer personas descriptions > Block 2 > Image

Competitive analysis report

Comparative analysis of existing or potential competitors on the market.

You need this to:
  • Understand if your target audience needs your offer

  • Recognize strengths and weaknesses of competitors

  • Identify key best practices in order to "not reinvent the wheel"

  • Gain an advantage over competitors based on their weaknesses

YWS > Discovery Phase Service Page > Deliverables with Yellow > List > Competitive analysis report > Block 2 > Image

Technical solution proposal

Description of the most suitable technical (technologies and tools) with functionality description.

You need this to:
  • Get a specific development plan

  • Estimate timelines and budgets based on the prototype and completed research

YWS > Discovery Phase Service Page > Deliverables with Yellow > List > Technical solution proposal > Block 2 > Image

A clickable prototype

Interactive black and white prototype of the future product.

You need this to:
  • Take a peek at what your final product can look like

  • Save time and money by identifying major pitfalls before the full-scale development starts

  • Test the idea of a future product on potential users

  • Present your project to investors

Here is the result of a discovery phase for one of the projects we worked on—a mobile banking app prototype. You can click through it right here!

YWS > Discovery Phase Service Page > Deliverables with Yellow > List > A clickable prototype > Block 2 > Image bundle

Choose what your project needs: Pricing plans for the discovery phase at Yellow

Yellow offers two pricing options for its software product discovery services.

Light
Complete

From you:

  • Introductory data based on the brief

  • Feedback on intermediate results of prototyping and user stories

Team:

  • Project Manager

  • Business Analyst

  • Designer

From us:

  • Two calls to collect requirements

  • Analysis of incoming data (up to 8 hours)

  • Creation of user stories

  • Gathering feedback from Yellow's internal team

  • Up to three rounds of client review

  • Creation of a clickable prototype (desktop or mobile)

You get:

  • A clickable prototype (10 main screens)

  • User stories descriptions

From you:

  • Introductory data based on the brief

  • Feedback on intermediate results of prototyping and user stories

Team:

  • Project Manager

  • Business Analyst

  • Designer

  • Lead of UX/UI

  • Software Architect

  • Software Engineers

From us:

  • Three calls to collect requirements

  • In-depth analysis of the customer's brief, domain, and market

  • Competitive analysis

  • Creation of User stories and Buyer Personas

  • Creation of Technical solution

  • Mind Map building

  • Gathering feedback from the internal team.

  • Up to five rounds of client review

  • Collection and analysis of feedback from potential users of the product

  • Creation of a clickable prototype (desktop or mobile)

You get:

  • A clickable prototype (25 main screens)

  • User stories descriptions

  • Buyer personas descriptions

  • Competitive analysis report

  • Technical solution proposal

Why choose Yellow for your discovery phase?

Business-first approach

Software product development involves more than just coding and design. Your business needs are our top priority, not just writing code and drawing lines.

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Business-first approach

Software product development involves more than just coding and design. Your business needs are our top priority, not just writing code and drawing lines.

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Product lab

We create our own projects from scratch, starting with the discovery phase, so we know the peculiarities of the software product lifecycle and apply this experience to your project.

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Product lab

We create our own projects from scratch, starting with the discovery phase, so we know the peculiarities of the software product lifecycle and apply this experience to your project.

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Security

Before any work starts, we sign a non-disclosure agreement, so all your data is legally protected. We also use the best security practices to ensure you are safe with us.

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Security

Before any work starts, we sign a non-disclosure agreement, so all your data is legally protected. We also use the best security practices to ensure you are safe with us.

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Experienced communications

Yellow has been developing mobile and web solutions since 2015 and has successfully finished 100+ software solutions in various industries, from communications to fintech.

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Experienced communications

Yellow has been developing mobile and web solutions since 2015 and has successfully finished 100+ software solutions in various industries, from communications to fintech.

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The discovery phase of a software project: Yellow case studies

E-learning Platform platform
App for credit score preview
Mobile Budgeting App preview
Mobile Banking App
A P2P lending platform preview
Crowdfunding Platform preview
E-learning Platform platform
App for credit score preview
Mobile Budgeting App preview
Mobile Banking App

What people say

weffect logo

I liked working with them because they were good. With their work, we increased our mobile app’s user usage. We also got reviewed as one of the top 10 employee engagement services in Europe. Their project management was really good. They worked in sprints, and I always communicated directly with their developer. More importantly, they were attentive to our project's details.

Thomas Urban

Thomas Urban

Founder & CTO, Weffect

natp logo

Browser compatibility and readability have increased markedly since the engagement began. Yellow's development process helped them beat deadlines and respond quickly to any technical concerns that arose. Their ability to bring creative ideas of their own to the table made them a valuable partner. Yellow typically understood exactly what the issue was and came back with a fix right away.

Jerry Sparkman

Jerry Sparkman

IT Director, National Association of Tax Professionals

racefully logo

If you are looking for a partner to collaborate with for the development process, I would consider hiring Yellow. Yellow has an intelligent team of developers that collaborated on the project to build a quality app. They follow instructions seamlessly, respond effectively to feedback, and invest themselves in the overall success of the product. I would happily use them again if we needed developing services.

Chris Pointon

Chris Pointon

CTO, Racefully

smartpath logo

Yellow is by far the best at helping us make decisions to push our company forward. I’d heard about them through a personal connection in the Bay Area. Yellow stands out because they’re invested in the results and clients. Every single person on Yellow’s team genuinely cares about what they’re doing. I really appreciate that about them and it’s the main reason we will continue our relationship for as long as possible.

William Hamilton

William Hamilton

Co-Founder, SmartPath.co

speeddigital logo

Yellow quickly and seamlessly assimilated into a fast-paced and nuanced workflow, completing all deliverables on time. Responsive to questions, updates, and issues, they have streamlined management operations and reduced work backlogs by directing communication to appropriate in-house team members.

Eric Morgan

Eric Morgan

Product Manager, Speed Digital

oppsites logo

The new features have been well received by users. Attentive and flexible, the team excelled at responding to stakeholders in a timely matter. Their technical expertise allows them to propose valuable solutions.

Ian Ross

Ian Ross

CEO, OppSites

famlicious logo

Engaged, supportive, and invested in project success, the team offered constructive criticism, creative guidance, and honest communication. Their user-centered approach resulted in a unique and reliable product that operates well on all systems.

Jim Barkow

Jim Barkow

Founder, Famlicious Inc.

separate-us logo

Because of marketing costs, the B2C application fell out of use in favor of a different B2B tool. Yellow was very focused on customer satisfaction, and they participated regularly in standups. They helped solidify features, and they thoroughly explained their process.

Sandro Tuzzo

Sandro Tuzzo

CEO, Separate.us

blackbird logo

We’re impressed with their loyalty and honesty. They were able to stay true to their original quote even though we needed to change and add a few requirements. They’ve done a lot of good work for us on all fronts, but it's amazing to see that they’re able to stick to what they initially promised.

Jon Shower

Jon Shower

CEO, BlackBird

qkss logo

Mainly, I go by client feedback to judge Yellow’s performance, and the clients have been very impressed with their work. The team is exact in what they do, their delivery has been good, and they’re on time and budget.

Adam Plager

Adam Plager

CEO, QKSS

coverium logo

Their performance was good. I didn’t expect that kind of performance from someone working offsite. I was happy that they completed the project ahead of schedule, so we had some time left to work on additional projects and improvements.

Max Abukhovsky

Max Abukhovsky

CEO & Founder, Coverium

hyvery-inc logo

When Yellow is working on a task, they understand how it will impact the product down the line. The team has provided great insight into our processes, making sure we don’t make small mistakes that will impact us in a larger way in the future.

Christopher Bianco

Christopher Bianco

CEO, Hyvery inc.

dealstryker logo

They were very accessible regardless of the time difference as well as communication was good. We had a couple bumps here and there regarding designs that were not originally discussed in our UX/UI designs but they were quick to find solutions as well as any needed changes we requested.

Bradley J. Humble

Bradley J. Humble

Co-Founder & CTO, DealStryker, Inc.

Yellow’s achievements

Best Website Design Agencies in San Francisco list by DesignRush

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Best Website Design Agencies in San Francisco list by DesignRush

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Top 1000 Global Service Providers for 2020 list by Clutch

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Top 1000 Global Service Providers for 2020 list by Clutch

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Top 100+ Software Development Companies in 2022 list by Techreviewer

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Top 100+ Software Development Companies in 2022 list by Techreviewer

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Top 1000 Service Providers for 2021 list by Clutch

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Top 1000 Service Providers for 2021 list by Clutch

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Twilio Partner for 5 years

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Twilio Partner for 5 years

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FAQs

How can the research and discovery phase benefit my business?

A discovery phase for software development will reduce the risks, provide you with market validation, minimize costs, and clarify goals.

What are the discovery phase steps?

The stages of the discovery phase include background/business research, Mind Map creation, data structuring, writing high-level requirements, building the first interactive prototype, collecting feedback from potential users on your side, defining the project’s tech stack, and preparing the final proposal.

How much does the discovery phase service for software development cost?

With Yellow, you will pay $1,900 for the Light plan and $7,900 for the Complete plan.

Why Yellow?

We create our own projects and apply the experience we’ve gained to the project discovery phase for your custom software solution. Your business needs are our top priority. Your data is secure with us.

Idea-1

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