Phase 1: Client Discovery & Problem Decomposition · 50 min · Python · Markdown

Discovery Deliverables & Evaluation Planning

The deliverable is what gets the deployment approved.

Hiring signal: FDE interviews test whether candidates can produce the complete deliverable set: problem statement, technical spec, risk register, MVP scope, evaluation plan. Candidates who produce only code fail. The risk register (risk, likelihood, impact, mitigation, owner) and evaluation plan (metrics, test data, thresholds, reviewers) are the artifacts that demonstrate consulting maturity and get deployments approved by client stakeholders.

What you will learn

Produce the complete discovery deliverable set: problem statement, technical spec, risk register, MVP scope, evaluation plan
Structure a risk register: risk description, likelihood, impact, mitigation, owner, status
Design an evaluation plan: metrics, test data sources, thresholds, review cadence
Combine all deliverables into a deployment proposal document for stakeholder sign-off

What You'll Learn

This lesson takes approximately 50 min. By the end, you will be able to:

Produce the complete discovery deliverable set: problem statement, technical spec, risk register, MVP scope, evaluation plan
Structure a risk register: risk description, likelihood, impact, mitigation, owner, status
Design an evaluation plan: metrics, test data sources, thresholds, review cadence
Combine all deliverables into a deployment proposal document for stakeholder sign-off

The Problem

Discovery isn't done when you understand the problem — it's done when you've produced the deliverables that get the deployment approved: a problem statement, technical spec, evaluation plan, data inventory, and risk register. These artifacts are what the client's security team, engineering team, and leadership review before greenlighting the build phase.

Unlock the full lesson

You've read the first 2 sections. The rest of this lesson covers The Complete Discovery Deliverable Set, Structuring a Risk Register, Designing an Evaluation Plan, The Deployment Proposal, Practical Application, What Hiring Managers Look For, Key Takeaways, Next Steps — plus a hands-on lab, quiz, and project artifact.

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