From Rob Steadman at High5VR
One of my first questions is what the client wants the finished system to achieve. I ask them to imagine being in their office with it working and explain what they would see. Then I ask what takes the most time today.
Those answers give the project a useful starting point. A request for a digital form may hide several other jobs: collecting it, checking it, asking questions and entering the information somewhere else.
Finding the task worth improving
We look at the people involved and follow the work. Depending on the business, that can mean speaking with an owner, involving departments or watching staff carry out the task.
The most important feature is not necessarily the most noticeable one on a screen. It may be the change that removes repeated follow-up for someone in the office.
Keeping the first scope practical
We focus on the minimum needed to operate and the work consuming the most time. That helps us discuss a useful first version. It also gives the client a reason for the priorities, instead of presenting a long collection of features with no explanation of which problem each one addresses.