Preventing Bad Investments
Strategy Workshop
How a switchgear manufacturer gained investment security through an 8-hour workshop.
Read MoreFrom Business Process to Practical Insight
A three-stage, targeted research approach: First we structure the system, then we interview and observe the decisive roles.
Strategy Workshop
Focus: Mapping of as-is and to-be processes in a one-day workshop with domain experts.
Goal of this phase: Identification of critical interfaces and determination of the exact job roles with the highest risk of misdevelopment.
Remote Interviews
Focus: Uncovering behavioral patterns, goal conflicts, and mental models of the previously identified roles.
Goal of this phase: Increasing sample size without travel costs to reconstruct a broad understanding of past experiences and barriers.
Contextual Inquiry
Focus: Shadowing directly at the workplace in real operations.
Goal of this phase: Uncovering unconscious workarounds, sticky notes, media discontinuities, and interruptions that are often concealed in pure interviews.
When this consulting makes the decisive difference
Bad investments happen when software is built on assumptions instead of actual workflows. My strength is in projects where a business process must first be translated into a digital interaction — and where many stakeholders need to be considered.
From process to interaction
I analyze not only what users do on a single screen, but how the entire workflow must function across multiple steps and roles. This turns a vague product idea into a tangible, implementable interaction model.
Making stakeholder complexity manageable
Multiple departments, existing systems, and regulatory requirements must not paralyze a project. I create a shared language and clear decision-making basis so everyone involved pulls in the same direction.
The 3-Level Package Structure
From initial strategy mapping to in-depth on-site research – choose the right level for your project.
Strategy & Hypotheses
Quick alignment, uncovering assumptions, and sharpening the target picture.
Umfang:
- 1-day strategy workshop (value stream, storyboards)
- Processing of results in the Git repository
- Screener creation for future research
Zielgruppe:
Customers at the beginning of a project who want to prioritize their roadmap.
Discovery & Remote Validation
Strategy with direct user validation at a manageable budget.
Umfang:
- Everything from package 1 (strategy workshop)
- 5–8 remote interviews with representatives of key roles
- Analysis of behavioral patterns and mental models
- Handover of validated epics in the Git repository
Zielgruppe:
Teams planning new features or digitizing existing workflows without using a travel budget.
Full Field Validation
Maximum security for high software investments through on-site research.
Umfang:
- Everything from package 1 (strategy workshop)
- 4–6 contextual inquiries (shadowing at the workplace on site)
- Uncovering workarounds, media discontinuities, and paper notes
- Comprehensive synthesis including process and interaction requirements in the Git repository
Zielgruppe:
Companies fundamentally rebuilding or replacing complex B2B software, intranets, or critical specialist applications.
Hypotheses Instead of Hope: How I Use the Lean Principle
The most expensive line of code is the one nobody uses in the end. Software projects rarely fail because of technology – they fail because of unquestioned assumptions. That is why I treat every feature idea as a hypothesis to be tested before development.
1. Market Acceptance
I first test whether there is any real market need at all – for example with simple prototypes at trade fairs, before you release budget for development.
2. Solution Concept
I check with click dummies whether the planned workflow solves the task well enough for users to be willing to change their accustomed processes.
3. Real Behavior
I observe users directly at work in their real context. This uncovers hurdles, misconceptions, and workarounds early so we can correct them.
I don't measure how fast code is written or how many tickets are closed. I measure exclusively the reaction of the market and the users to the concept. This gives you absolute investment security before the first sprint.
FAQ: Preventing Bad Investments
Pragmatic research, clear role separation, and version-secure documentation to protect your budget.
How do we quickly identify the right problems?
When it comes to software, it’s mostly about automating small, daily recurring frustration points. Because these pain points trigger strong emotions, they can be uncovered extremely quickly through targeted interviews without months of preliminary analysis.
How do we avoid getting lost in details?
The initial strategy workshop provides the big picture and the strategic framework. Continuous user research then ensures that the strategy is dynamically adapted to changing conditions.
Will the development team be burdened by research?
No, the development team does not conduct user research itself. Which internal role (e.g., Product Owner) accompanies the topic on the customer side is up to you. The developers can fully focus on implementation.
How are user insights prepared for developers?
All findings and user insights are managed in a Git repository. This makes them version-secure, seamlessly accessible for the dev team, and available as PDF at any time.
From when is risk minimization measurable?
That depends on your definition of risk. Risk minimization begins as soon as new user insights correct false assumptions and adjust the strategy – before the first expensive line of code is written.