PLANNING

Project discovery canvas

This project discovery canvas gives a mobile commerce team a compact way to frame checkout abandonment. It starts with the observed problem rather than a preferred interface change. The people and evidence section identifies whose experience matters and what information the team already has. The assumptions section keeps possible explanations visible without treating them as facts. Finally, the next steps turn the canvas into a research plan: talk to people who abandoned and test clearer fee disclosure. The canvas is intended for a focused discovery conversation, not as a project plan. It can be updated after each research activity as assumptions become evidence or are ruled out.

UPDATED 2026-09-24
TYPEMatrix
EXAMPLEProject discovery canvas
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CASE ANALYSIS

Scenario

A product team is deciding what to investigate before redesigning a mobile checkout.

Key decisions

  • State the problem: Describe the observed behavior before proposing a solution.
  • Mark evidence: Keep research findings distinct from team assumptions.
  • Plan a test: Assign the smallest next action that can reduce uncertainty.

When to reuse this

Use at the start of a product initiative when the team needs a shared problem frame.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

What is a discovery canvas for?01
It helps a team align on a problem, evidence, assumptions and the next learning activity.
Why separate evidence from assumptions?02
The separation prevents guesses from gaining the authority of research findings.
When should the canvas be updated?03
Update it after research, experiments or decisions that change the team understanding.
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