Discovery phase

The initial stage of an engagement, before scope is finalized, where an agency gathers information about a client's needs, constraints, and existing systems.

Example

Before quoting a website rebuild, an agency runs a two-week discovery phase — stakeholder interviews, an audit of the existing site, and a review of brand guidelines — and prices the project based on what discovery reveals.

Why it matters for agencies

A rushed or skipped discovery phase is one of the most common root causes of scope disputes later on, because the original quote was based on incomplete information. Requests that surface obvious gaps discovery should have caught are a strong signal to invest more time upfront on future projects, not just to change-order the current one.