Start with the buyer's situation
A useful discovery note preserves what the customer said and makes uncertainty visible.
Record five things: the customer's words for the problem, the teams or work affected, the current approach, the change they want, and what you do not yet know. Keep interpretation separate from reported facts.
Worked example: In the fictional Northstar sample, a buyer says, “Order exceptions take time to reconcile across teams.” That is a reported problem. “The customer needs automation” is a hypothesis to test—not a confirmed requirement.
Separate evidence from interpretation
Keep the original signal visible before choosing a solution.
Reported problem
“Order exceptions take time to reconcile across teams.”
- Record this as the buyer's description.
- Ask which teams and handoffs are involved.
- Ask what change would make the process better.
Hypothesis to test
“The customer needs automation.”
- Do not present this as the buyer's stated need.
- Ask what causes the delay and what has already been tried.
- Check fit only after the underlying need is clearer.