Building Platforms That Succeed: Why We Focus on Discovery First

Discovery is the most essential part of building a community platform.

I've been building bespoke community platforms since I was 20, and quite a bit has changed.

Firstly, I no longer write code. My role is assembling the strongest team possible to deliver industry-changing platforms.

Secondly, I know where to give our focus and attention on a project.

When we landed a new project ten years ago, all the effort went into the design and development.

These days, we stop and think a lot more. We plan. We ask questions. We challenge.

Discovery is the most essential part of building a community platform.

Workshops and Idea Generation

We kick things off with workshops to facilitate ideas and discussions.

This could be an extensive group session or a series of smaller meetings. The goal is to gather as much information and ideas as possible. We host and facilitate these workshops, asking probing questions to ensure nothing is left unexamined.

Stakeholder Alignment

It's essential to get input from all stakeholders—head of sales, marketing, operations, support, and more. Each brings a unique perspective that helps shape the final product. We document everything, ensuring everyone is on the same page and assumptions are minimized.

Budget and Timeline

We also consider budget and timeline constraints. For example, if your budget is £150,000 but the features discussed suggest a £300,000 project, we need to recalibrate. Clear communication about these constraints helps manage expectations and align the project scope with reality.

The functional specification

The primary deliverable from this phase is a detailed functional specification. This document breaks down every feature and requirement from a user-centric perspective.

For example, instead of just stating "search functionality," we detail it as "As a user, I can search the forum for information," followed by specific details like searching titles, body content, and comments.

This level of detail ensures developers know precisely what to build without making assumptions. It saves time and prevents confusion later in the project.

Let's wrap up.

Building any bespoke software requires real thought and strategy. This is tenfold when we're discussing a community platform because people are at the core of its success.