Challenge
Executives were debating whether a new solution should launch as a standalone product or integrate into the broader portfolio. Differing perspectives and limited alignment created uncertainty and slowed decision-making.
Solution
We led a comprehensive discovery initiative and an exec-friendly sprint to converge on direction:
- Contextual research: interviews with stakeholders and industry SMEs.
- Media & publication scan: surfaced emerging narratives and adoption patterns around AI.
- Competitive review: mapped adjacent markets and opportunity spaces.
- Innovation evolution map: visualized how the product could grow over time.
- Distributed design sprint: half-day sessions across several weeks to fit leadership schedules, with short video primers and pre-work insight packets.
- Research access: recommended a dedicated panel to reach a hyper-focused TAM and strengthen ongoing engagement.
Results
- Executive alignment on AI as the product focus and on portfolio integration.
- Innovation evolution map guiding near-term and long-term development.
- Validated distributed sprint format for future initiatives.
- Approved plan for a dedicated research panel to support ongoing discovery in a niche market.
- Early research operations practices established, making customer insights a repeatable input into strategy.
Key Learnings
- Evidence reduces debate: contextual research and publication scans grounded executive discussion in external data and customer realities.
- Adapted methods unlock participation: a distributed sprint enabled senior leaders to engage fully without stalling momentum.
- Research infrastructure matters: a dedicated panel and stronger research ops ensured customer feedback informs strategy continuously.