Discovery Phase - Validate your project before you invest in development
Before you start building a new system, we work with you to validate the idea, define its true scope, and estimate the actual implementation cost. From the first workshop to the final estimate, we collaborate closely with your team every step of the way.
By the end of the Discovery phase, you'll have tangible deliverables: a detailed specification, a prioritised backlog, solution wireframes, and a validated cost estimate—not just high-level recommendations or assumptions.
Discovery is a standalone service. It gives you everything you need to make an informed decision and doesn't commit you to working with us on the implementation.
Why Discovery?
IT projects are changing faster than ever.
New regulations, rapid advances in AI, and emerging technologies are reshaping project assumptions faster than projects themselves can be delivered.
Starting a large software project without proper preparation is no longer a bold move – it’s a business risk.
Discovery helps you reduce that risk by validating your idea, aligning business and technical expectations, and creating a clear, realistic roadmap before development begins.
Reduce risk from day one
IT projects often exceed both budget and timeline because the decision to start is made before anyone has validated the actual scope. Discovery helps verify it before any budget commitments are made.
Align business and technology from the start
Business and technology teams approach the same challenge from different perspectives. Misalignments that aren’t addressed early typically surface during implementation—when changes are already expensive. Discovery brings both perspectives together before they become costly.
Evaluate your partner before you commit
Many organisations have experienced an IT project that didn’t deliver as expected. Making another long-term commitment without first validating both the partner and the project scope is a risk few leadership teams are willing to take. Discovery lets you assess how we work before entering into a long-term partnership.
Our approach
Three workstreams. One complete picture.
We run Discovery in close collaboration with your team.
The goal is to define a shared product vision, design the solution architecture, and validate the scope of the MVP or Proof of Concept (PoC). This allows us to reduce delivery risk and improve estimation accuracy before significant budget is committed.
The work is carried out across three parallel, interconnected workstreams that together provide a complete picture of the project.
Product Vision & Direction
- Detailed business analysis of selected features
- System analysis of selected features
- Development of selected system components
- Validation that the project’s direction and objectives remain aligned
Management Workstream
- Define the delivery model (Scrum, RACI)
- Project roadmap and backlog
- Team structure, roles, and access management
- Define the client’s level of involvement
Business Analysis Workstream
- Refine stakeholder requirements and business needs
- Business specification for selected features (Confluence)
- Product backlog (Jira / Azure DevOps)
- UX wireframes (Figma)
Technical Workstream
- Solution architecture
- Technical backlog
- Proof of Concept (PoC) for selected system components
- Quality assurance on the client’s side
Discovery turns your idea into a validated implementation plan
Your Discovery
Deliverables
- Business and technical specification — ready for development, based on validated stakeholder requirements rather than assumptions.
- Product backlog — structured in Jira or Azure DevOps, with priorities and a clear breakdown into MVP0 and MVP1.
- UX wireframes in Figma — enabling you to visualise the solution before a single line of code is written and ensuring business and technology teams share the same understanding.
- Proof of Concept (PoC) — for the highest-risk or most critical parts of the system, validated by your organisation.
- Roadmap and delivery plan — a clear plan for what comes after Discovery, regardless of who delivers the next phase.
- Validated MVP cost estimate — based on the actual project scope, not high-level estimates prepared during the proposal stage.
Before you invest in development,
make sure your project is ready
We know which questions need to be answered before development begins. We’ve been asking them for more than 500 successful software projects.
Why choose us
for Discovery?
- Team continuity – You don’t lose project knowledge when team members change on the supplier’s side—an essential advantage for long-term, complex software projects.
- Domain experts, not just developers – VSoft’s architects and business analysts understand your industry from the inside. You’re working with domain experts, not general-purpose IT consultants.
- End to end delivery –The same team handles Discovery, development, implementation, training, and ongoing support—eliminating knowledge transfer between multiple vendors or teams.
- No long-term commitment upfront – Our Time&Material engagement model lets you refine the scope and level of involvement as the project evolves, without committing to a long-term partnership from day one.
- Built for the long term – We’re a Polish joint-stock company with over 30 years of experience. Our deep industry expertise enables us to deliver complex software solutions for financial institutions year after year.
Who is Discovery for?
Banks
Whether you’re responding to regulatory changes, replacing a legacy system that limits new lending products, or working under tight executive deadlines, Discovery validates the project scope before a multi-year IT initiative begins.
Debt collection firms and law offices
When your case volume outgrows existing systems or you need integrations with e-Court, PISP, or Komornik Online, Discovery helps you define the right approach before committing to a high-risk migration.
Insurance companies
Launching a new product or sales channel often requires capabilities your current systems can’t support. Discovery defines the scope of your Insurance Platform before any budget decisions are made.
Mid-sized and large enterprises
As your business grows, spreadsheets and disconnected tools eventually become a bottleneck. Discovery gives you confidence in the scope, budget, and implementation plan before investing in a custom software solution.
Frequently asked questions
No. Once the Discovery phase is complete, the decision is entirely yours. You can continue the project with VSoft or use the deliverables—including the specification, backlog, and cost estimate—to work with another delivery partner.
The timeline depends on the size and complexity of the project, as well as the number of features included in the analysis. We’ll agree on a realistic schedule during our initial consultation, before any work begins.
Discovery doesn’t replace your IT team—it works alongside it. We collaborate with your teams across three workstreams—management, business analysis, and technical—so your architects and analysts actively shape the outcome rather than simply reviewing it.
Yes, that’s exactly what Discovery is designed for! We deliver it under a Time&Material model, requiring a much smaller investment than a full implementation. The outcome is a validated scope and a reliable cost estimate for the next phase.
Let’s talk about your project
Interested in validating your project through the Discovery phase?
Leave your contact details, and our team will get in touch to discuss your project, define the scope, and schedule an initial consultation.