Your Plumbing Platform Discovery Meeting: What to Prepare

Aligning the Discovery Meeting

The discovery meeting establishes a shared understanding of the plumbing platform’s direction.

It aligns business goals, target users, core problems, and desired outcomes.

Therefore, prepare to discuss each area clearly and connect it to the platform’s purpose.

Clarifying the Business Goals

Begin by defining what the plumbing platform should support for the business.

Describe the priorities that should guide platform decisions.

Also, explain how those priorities influence the platform’s intended direction.

Keep the discussion focused on goals rather than individual features.

Identifying the Target Users

Next, define who the plumbing platform should serve.

Describe the users’ relationship with the platform.

Then, connect their needs to the platform’s broader business goals.

Clear user definitions help the meeting maintain a focused perspective.

Exploring the Core Problems

Discuss the main problems the plumbing platform should address.

Describe each problem in terms that everyone can understand.

Additionally, explain how these problems affect the target users.

A shared problem definition prevents disconnected solutions from guiding the meeting.

Defining the Desired Outcomes

Specify what the plumbing platform should accomplish.

Describe outcomes that demonstrate meaningful progress toward the business goals.

Keep each outcome connected to a user need or core problem.

This connection helps everyone evaluate ideas against the same expectations.

Preparing Alignment Questions

Use focused questions to guide the discovery conversation.

Ask which business goals matter most for the plumbing platform.

Next, ask which users require the greatest attention.

Finally, ask which problems the platform should address first.

Also, ask how the group will recognize the desired outcomes.

Capturing Shared Understanding

Record the agreed business goals, target users, core problems, and desired outcomes.

Then, review each point during the meeting.

Resolve unclear language before moving into further platform discussions.

As a result, the discovery meeting creates a clearer foundation for future decisions.

Current Plumbing Workflows

Record how the business currently handles plumbing work.

This reference supports focused discussions about present processes.

Keep current practices separate from potential future changes.

Request Intake Practices

Document how customers currently submit plumbing requests.

Record the information staff collect when each request arrives.

Identify who reviews requests and determines the next action.

Also, record how the team identifies urgent requests.

Appointment Scheduling Practices

Document how staff schedule appointments after receiving requests.

Record which details guide each appointment decision.

Describe how the team handles scheduling changes.

Additionally, record how staff share appointment details internally.

Document how staff communicate appointment details to customers.

Dispatch Procedures

Explain how the team assigns work to available plumbing professionals.

Record how dispatchers share job details before work begins.

Document how the team handles reassignment or dispatch changes.

Also, note where staff record dispatch information.

Job Update Practices

Describe how plumbing professionals provide updates during each job.

Record which job details the team updates during service.

Note how staff identify completed, delayed, or changed work.

Furthermore, document when office staff receive job updates.

Customer Communication Practices

Document how the team communicates throughout each service request.

Include communication before scheduling, during service, and after completion.

Record who handles customer messages at each stage.

Also, note how staff store or share communication details.

Invoicing Activities

Describe how the team prepares invoices after completing plumbing work.

Record which information supports invoice creation.

Document who reviews invoices before the team sends them.

Additionally, note how staff communicate invoice details to customers.

Post-Service Follow-Up

Explain how the team follows up after completing each job.

Record when follow-up occurs and who manages it.

Note which information the team reviews during follow-up.

Also, document how staff record follow-up results.

Handoffs and Process Gaps

Mark every handoff between requests, scheduling, dispatch, service, invoicing, and follow-up.

Record what information moves between each workflow stage.

Note where staff repeat data entry or transfer information manually.

Finally, identify steps that require clarification during the discovery meeting.

Workflow Reference Preparation

Organize the documented steps in the order they occur.

Use consistent descriptions for every workflow stage.

Separate current practices from potential future changes.

Bring this reference to the meeting for focused discussion.

User Roles and Permissions

Start by identifying who will use the plumbing platform.

Next, define what each person needs to accomplish.

Then, connect every role to specific viewing and action requirements.

Access Categories

Separate the information users need to view from the actions they need to perform.

For each role, document whether users should view, create, update, approve, or remove information.

Also, identify which actions require additional permission or review.

Keep access focused on each role’s responsibilities.

Administrator Access

Administrators may need broad visibility across the platform.

Define whether they can manage users, assign permissions, and maintain platform settings.

Clarify whether administrators can view all information or only selected areas.

Additionally, decide which changes require administrator approval.

Office Staff Access

Office staff may need information that supports administrative responsibilities.

Specify what office staff should view and update within the platform.

Clarify whether they can create records, change information, or communicate with customers.

Then, identify any information they should not access.

Plumber Access

Plumbers may need focused access to information related to their assigned responsibilities.

Define what they should view before, during, and after assigned work.

Clarify whether they can add updates, change records, or complete required actions.

Also, determine whether plumbers can view information beyond their assigned responsibilities.

Manager Access

Managers may need broader visibility than individual team members.

Identify which information helps managers review activity and support decisions.

Clarify whether managers can approve changes, adjust permissions, or oversee multiple users.

Finally, define which actions remain limited to administrators.

Customer Access

Customers need clear boundaries around the information they can view.

Define whether customers can submit information, review updates, or respond through the platform.

Clarify which actions customers can complete without internal assistance.

Also, identify information that must remain visible only to internal users.

Role Comparison

Create a simple role comparison before the discovery meeting.

List each role in one column and required viewing access in another.

Then, record the actions each role must perform.

Use a separate note for restricted information or approval requirements.

This comparison helps stakeholders identify conflicting expectations early.

Permission Decisions

Bring unclear access questions into the discovery meeting.

Ask who owns each decision and who may change related information.

Next, confirm whether access should vary between roles or remain consistent.

Finally, record unresolved decisions for later review.

Clear role definitions help the team discuss platform requirements more precisely.

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Prioritized Plumbing Platform Features

Translate discovery meeting priorities into a clear feature list.

Separate essential launch functionality from enhancements that can follow later.

This distinction keeps immediate platform discussions focused.

Launch-Critical Platform Functionality

Identify the capabilities the platform must support at launch.

Focus this group on core plumbing operations and required user actions.

Include each capability only when it supports an agreed launch priority.

• Include booking when users need to request or arrange plumbing services.
  
  
• Include dispatching when staff must coordinate assigned plumbing work.
  
  
• Include estimates when users need to prepare or review expected charges.
  
  
• Include payments when the platform must support payment-related tasks.
  
  
• Include notifications when users need timely updates about platform activity.
  
  
• Include reporting when the team requires essential operational information.
  
  

Next, connect every launch feature to a specific business goal or user need.

Then, remove features that do not support the agreed launch priorities.

Future Platform Enhancements

Place valuable but nonessential capabilities into a future enhancements group.

This approach preserves important ideas without expanding the initial feature scope.

Record each enhancement with a short description of its intended purpose.

Also, note which feature or business need connects to that enhancement.

Keep future items visible so the team can revisit them during later planning.

Feature Importance Criteria

Use consistent criteria when the team compares competing feature requests.

Assess each feature against essential plumbing platform operations and launch needs.

Review documented workflow requirements before assigning a priority.

• Assess whether the feature supports essential plumbing platform operations.
  
  
• Consider whether users need the feature at launch.
  
  
• Review whether the feature addresses a documented workflow requirement.
  
  
• Identify whether postponing the feature creates a significant limitation.
  
  
• Check whether the feature duplicates another planned capability.
  
  

Then, assign each feature to launch, later, or further review.

A simple priority label keeps the discussion clear and consistent.

Feature Scope Boundaries

Describe what each prioritized feature should cover.

Also, state what the feature does not need to cover initially.

These boundaries prevent vague expectations during platform planning.

For example, define whether booking includes requests, confirmations, or both.

Likewise, define whether reporting covers required information or broader analysis.

Open Feature Questions

Document unresolved questions beside the related feature.

For instance, note questions about payment activities, notification recipients, or estimate handling.

Assign each question for discussion during the discovery meeting.

Finally, update the feature list after the team confirms its priorities.

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Prepare Existing Systems and Data

Bring a clear inventory of the tools, records, and integrations supporting current operations.

Review these resources before discussing configuration or data transfer.

Document how teams currently use each resource.

Customer Records

Review where customer records currently reside.

Document the information that each record contains.

Also identify duplicate, incomplete, or outdated records.

Note which teams access customer information and how they use it.

Job History

Gather available job history from existing systems.

Identify the details stored for each completed or active job.

Include relevant statuses, notes, assignments, and service information.

Then clarify which historical records require migration.

Calendars and Scheduling Data

List the calendars that support appointments and availability.

Explain how teams create, update, and review calendar entries.

Identify scheduling data that must connect with the new platform.

Also note any access requirements for calendar information.

Accounting Systems

Document the accounting systems that receive business or job information.

Describe the records or processes that require accounting integration.

Clarify how teams currently transfer information between platforms.

Then identify reconciliation needs and ownership for accounting data.

Payment Providers

List the payment providers connected to current operations.

Describe where payment information enters the existing workflow.

Identify payment records that the new platform must access or retain.

Also clarify related security, access, and migration requirements.

Communication Channels

Catalog the channels used for customer and internal communication.

Include the information exchanged through each channel.

Identify records that teams need to preserve during migration.

Then clarify which channels require integration with the new platform.

Integration Details

For every integration, identify the connected system and its purpose.

Document the information each system sends or receives.

Also record integration owners, access requirements, and known limitations.

Flag dependencies that could affect configuration or data transfer.

Migration Requirements

Define which tools, records, and historical information require migration.

Separate essential data from information that teams can leave behind.

Specify preferred data formats when those requirements already exist.

Identify rules for cleaning, mapping, and validating transferred information.

Finally, prepare questions about retention, access, and migration responsibilities.

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Technical and Operational Requirements

Bring technical and operational questions to the discovery meeting.

These questions help define how the plumbing platform should function.

They also clarify how the team should manage the platform.

Mobile Access Requirements

First, confirm whether users need mobile access to the platform.

Identify which tasks users must complete from mobile devices.

Also, clarify whether mobile access supports viewing, updating, communication, or other platform activities.

Discuss which users require mobile access and what information they need.

Finally, document expectations for consistent access across supported devices.

Platform Availability Expectations

Next, establish how available the platform should remain during normal operations.

Discuss how the team should handle interruptions affecting platform access.

Clarify which functions require continued availability for daily operations.

Also, identify communication expectations when availability issues occur.

Record operational preferences for restoring access after disruptions.

Data Protection Requirements

Define how the platform should protect stored and transmitted data.

Identify the data types requiring protection throughout their use.

Then, discuss how the team should manage data access, retention, and removal.

Clarify expectations for protecting customer, business, and job-related information.

Document internal requirements that influence data handling practices.

User Access Controls

Separate operational permissions from technical access controls during the discussion.

Clarify how the platform should grant, change, and remove access.

Define who can approve access changes within the organization.

Also, discuss how the platform should handle inactive or unauthorized accounts.

Determine whether the team needs records of access changes and related activity.

Document access expectations without repeating each user group’s workflow.

Scalability Planning

Consider how platform needs may change as usage grows.

Discuss possible increases in users, activity, records, and operational demands.

Clarify which areas should support future expansion without unnecessary disruption.

Also, identify technical limits that could affect planned growth.

Record scalability expectations alongside current requirements.

Support Expectations

Clarify how users should request help with platform issues.

Identify who will communicate with the support provider.

Discuss expectations for issue handling, updates, and escalation.

Also, define the information users should provide when reporting problems.

Document support responsibilities for the platform provider and internal team.

Maintenance Responsibilities

Establish who will manage routine platform maintenance.

Clarify how the team should prepare for updates or configuration changes.

Discuss how maintenance activities should affect user access and daily operations.

Also, identify who will review ongoing technical requirements.

Record maintenance expectations before the discovery meeting ends.

Documented Technical Decisions

Use the meeting to document requirements, open questions, and assigned responsibilities.

Separate confirmed needs from items requiring further review.

Then, confirm each requirement with the relevant stakeholders.

This approach gives the platform discussion a clear technical and operational foundation.

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Discovery Meeting Questions

Bring focused questions to clarify how the plumbing platform should develop.

Organize discussion around scope, timing, cost, delivery, ownership, approval, risk, and evaluation.

Record answers, decisions, responsibilities, and follow-up topics during the meeting.

Project Scope

Ask which outcomes the initial project must support.

Confirm which requested capabilities belong within the current scope.

Ask which capabilities should remain outside the initial scope.

Discuss how the team will handle new requests during development.

Confirm how scope changes will receive review and approval.

Project Timeline

Ask which dates or milestones should guide planning.

Confirm whether the team expects staged delivery or one release.

Discuss dependencies that could affect the planned timeline.

Ask how the team will communicate schedule changes.

Confirm which decisions require completion before development begins.

Project Budget

Ask how the project budget should guide scope decisions.

Confirm which work the budget includes.

Discuss how additional requests could affect projected costs.

Ask how the team will review cost changes.

Clarify whether ongoing development requires separate budget planning.

Development Approach

Ask how the development team plans to organize the work.

Discuss how discovery findings will become defined requirements.

Confirm how the team will prioritize work during development.

Ask how progress, decisions, and changes will remain visible.

Discuss how the team will gather feedback throughout delivery.

Project Responsibilities

Identify who will provide business knowledge and project direction.

Confirm who will supply content, decisions, and required information.

Ask who will coordinate communication between involved participants.

Clarify who will review completed work.

Assign responsibility for resolving open questions.

Approval Process

Ask who can approve scope, designs, requirements, and completed work.

Confirm which approval stages the project requires.

Discuss how the team will record approval decisions.

Ask how unresolved disagreements will receive attention.

Establish expected response times for review requests.

Project Risks

Ask which known risks could affect delivery.

Discuss uncertainties involving scope, resources, decisions, or dependencies.

Confirm how the team will document and monitor risks.

Ask who will own each risk response.

Discuss how the team will escalate emerging issues.

Success Measures

Ask how the team will evaluate the platform after delivery.

Define which outcomes will indicate meaningful progress.

Confirm how stakeholders will review those outcomes.

Discuss when the team will assess performance against expectations.

Agree on how feedback will influence future improvements.

Meeting Notes

Record each answer beside its related question.

Separate confirmed decisions from unresolved topics.

Track assigned actions with clear owners.

Note follow-up questions before the meeting ends.

Confirm the next decisions and responsibilities with everyone involved.

Meeting-Ready Preparation Package

A meeting-ready package helps participants review discovery information quickly.

Clear labels help participants locate current materials before discussion begins.

Organized materials also help participants discuss decisions with confidence.

Process Notes and Workflow Details

Process notes should record workflow details in a consistent format.

Concise notes should support discussion without replacing participant explanations.

Current notes should distinguish confirmed practices from assumptions requiring discussion.

• Activity, responsible role, required information, and expected result
  
  
• Exceptions, delays, repeated tasks, and unclear handoffs
  
  
• Confirmed practices and assumptions requiring discussion
  
  
• Missing information requiring participant attention
  
  

User Feedback and Recurring Concerns

User feedback shows how people experience current processes.

Grouping feedback helps participants recognize recurring concerns and requested improvements.

Neutral wording allows the meeting to examine causes and priorities fairly.

• User perspective behind each observation
  
  
• Individual preferences versus widely shared needs
  
  
• Effect of each issue on daily work
  
  
• Feedback requiring validation during discovery
  
  

Representative Sample Documents

Sample documents reveal required information and approval points.

Each sample should clarify content requirements without prescribing a final design.

Remove sensitive information before sharing any document with participants.

• Requests, estimates, invoices, messages, and job records
  
  
• Process stage label for each sample
  
  
• Highlighted fields, sections, or instructions
  
  
• Removed sensitive information
  
  

System Access and Material Availability

Access details show participants how to reach relevant systems and materials.

Document access requirements before the meeting begins.

Never include passwords or confidential credentials in the preparation package.

• Access needed for each discovery activity
  
  
• Person responsible for permissions or supporting information
  
  
• Confirmation that required access remains available
  
  
• Restrictions affecting demonstrations or reviews
  
  

Priorities, Decisions, and Follow-Up

Feature discussions should produce clear decisions, tradeoffs, and follow-up actions.

Consistent priority labels help participants compare notes and meeting discussions.

Review priorities against user feedback and documented process needs.

• Capability under consideration
  
  
• Need addressed by the capability
  
  
• Information required for evaluation
  
  
• Unresolved concern and responsible follow-up owner
  
  

Open Questions Register

A shared questions register keeps unresolved topics visible throughout discovery.

Specific wording helps participants provide clear and useful answers.

Update every question after participants provide an answer.

• Process questions
  
  
• User questions
  
  
• Data questions
  
  
• Access questions
  
  
• Delivery questions
  
  
• Questions blocking decisions or requiring later investigation
  
  

Immediate Actions and Ownership

Preparation should end with practical actions for the period after the meeting.

Every agreed action needs one accountable owner.

Specific deliverables help participants begin without further interpretation.

• Assigned owner for every agreed action
  
  
• Expected deliverable for each action
  
  
• Dependencies that could delay progress
  
  
• Decisions requiring confirmation
  
  

Final Package Readiness

A final review confirms that participants receive accurate and usable materials.

Share the package early enough for thoughtful participant review.

Keep every document current, clearly labeled, and easy to locate.

• Latest available process notes
  
  
• Samples without unnecessary sensitive details
  
  
• Accurate access requirements
  
  
• Clear ownership for open questions and next steps
  
  

Additional Resources

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