What do Toddlers and Consultants have in Common? They ask Why a Lot!

In the realm of technical solutions, grasping the nuances of business processes is vital for creating optimized systems that end users will love. Think about it: we don't have teams teaching us to use apps like Instagram—we just figure it out. This intuitive approach is what I aim for in discovery workshops. Who are the end users? Why should they use this? Is it user-friendly? If these questions aren't clear, your new system will be less popular than a root canal. (Sorry dentists!)

Here's my step-by-step guide for effective discovery workshops:

1. Define the Problem(s) You are Trying to Solve

Why are you doing this? If you can’t answer this question, it will make discovery more difficult. Also, if you’re going to tie the objectives to outcomes, without defining the problem it will be more difficult. This helps determine the effectiveness of your transformation. Think ROI!

Example: We are overwhelmed with minor support issues and it’s impacting our ability to service customers in a timely manner. After fact finding, the solution is to implement a chatbot to help with easy account queries. The outcome would be by utilizing a chatbot and will it deflect 10% of calls, allowing agents to focus on more complex queries and opportunities.

Before the workshop, clarify objectives, goals and the north star of the initiative. I like to also make sure that end users know what is in it for them (WIIFM). It could be free coffee and donuts or maybe something more tangible like decreasing the amount of time it takes to perform a function or give them sales data at their fingertips. In the context of technical solutions, this could be to understand pain points, what is critical to keep to facilitate the process and what headwinds may be facing in the industry. Make sure your objective is clear so everyone knows what they’re aiming for. One way to do this is to make sure an agenda is sent ahead of time with any requests. For example, bringing current state business processes.

Example Objective: "Discover why our deployment process is slower than a snail on a treadmill."

2. Assemble the Right Team

Gather a cross-functional team with a variety of perspectives and expertise. This might include representatives from development, operations, quality assurance, customer support, and IT. The diversity in the team ensures a comprehensive understanding of the problem. This can also lead to more interesting discussions and a review of items/perspectives people hadn’t thought of before.?

One technique I really like to use is to invite people to your team that are pro technology and some where they’re just not interested in changing any processes. Their current solution works for them and they are not interested in change. I call these the haters and it’s especially important to engage them as well!

3. Set the Agenda

Create a structured agenda for the workshop. Ensure you have the right audiences for each of the sessions and any items they may need to bring to help answer questions. I usually allocate time for introductions, reviewing the objective, and conducting the analysis. You can also start with an icebreaker to get people in a good mood. Promise snacks to keep energy levels high and morale even higher.?

4. Explain the 5 Whys Method

This is where it gets good! You could begin the workshop by explaining the 5 Whys method of conducting analysis or just annoy people by continuously asking why, dealer’s choice here! If you do explain the ground rules and what the 5 Whys method is, highlight its iterative nature and that the aim is to dig deeper into issues rather than stopping at surface-level symptoms. It’s crucial to understand the root cause of why things are being done a certain way. Oftentimes about 2-3 whys in, people won’t know the reasoning anymore and it’s because it’s always been done that way. Think of it as the adult version of a toddler's relentless curiosity—but with fewer snack breaks and tantrums (hopefully).

Also remind everyone that no question is too silly—except maybe “Why do we have to do this?” (Spoiler: Because it’s your job.)

5. How to Conduct the 5 Whys Analysis

Start with the objective and ask participants to identify key pain points, successes, and challenges related to the process. Use the 5 Whys method to drill down into each issue. Document each step to maintain a clear record of the analysis. Feel free to use colorful markers and doodles to keep things engaging.

Continue this process as you identify each persona and functional area (sales, service, marketing, operations, etc) and consider the scope of the body of work.?

Here is an example discovery:

Pain Point: Our deployment process is too slow.

• Why 1: Why is our deployment process too slow?
• Why 2: Why does it involve too many manual steps?
• Why 3: Why are our automation scripts outdated?
• Why 4: Why haven’t we allocated time for script maintenance?
• Why 5: Why are we always in a rush to deploy new features?

Success: Our error logging system is top-notch.

• Why 1: Why is our error logging system top-notch?
• Why 2: Why does it provide detailed and actionable insights?
• Why 3: Why was it designed with input from both developers and support staff?
• Why 4: Why did we hold a collaborative design workshop?
• Why 5: Why did we want to ensure it met everyone's needs?

Headwind: Keeping up with new technology trends.

• Why 1: Why is it difficult to keep up with new technology trends?
• Why 2: Why is there a constant influx of new tools and frameworks?
• Why 3: Why does the tech industry evolve rapidly?
• Why 4: Why does innovation drive competition and demand?
• Why 5: Why is offering better solutions important?

I like using this method to help you get to the heart of what's working, what's not, and what obstacles you need to overcome. I find many times people don’t know why certain processes are followed or who made the original decision. This is a good opportunity to take a step back and evaluate them objectively. In my ten plus years of experience in doing this, many things are built with the solution first. For example, a sales manager says, we need a field added to track what kinds of events our customers like to attend. Because the sales manager gave the solution, that is how it might be built. By taking a step back the right solution may have been completely different. This is why we want to start with the objective first. That will then drive the solution. (Remember, design the solution at the end when you have the full breadth and depth of the challenge.)

Tips for Successful Workshops

• Facilitate Open Communication: Encourage all participants to voice their opinions and ideas without fear of judgment. Use humor to break the ice and keep the mood light.
• Stay Focused: Keep the team focused on the problem at hand and avoid getting sidetracked by unrelated issues—like why the office coffee tastes like sadness (even funnier if you work from home).
• Be Patient: Discovery and analysis can be time-consuming. Allow sufficient time for thorough discussion. And remember, patience is a virtue—especially when dealing with complex technical processes.
• Document Everything: Keep detailed records of the analysis process, decisions made, and action plans developed. And if you can, use funny doodles and sticky notes to make the documentation a little less boring. I love to draw on the white board. My free hand drawings of system architecture would make an Enterprise Architect weep in sadness but they get the job done!

Conclusion

Conducting business process workshops can significantly improve problem-solving capabilities in technical solutions. By systematically identifying root causes and developing targeted solutions, organizations can enhance efficiency, reduce risks, and improve system performance. Implementing this method fosters a culture of continuous improvement and proactive problem-solving—plus, it gives everyone a chance to channel their inner toddler and ask “Why?” repeatedly without getting in trouble.

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Feel free to connect if you're interested in discussing more about optimizing business processes and creating user-friendly solutions!