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The Interview Loop1 / 3

2 min lesson

Run discovery before you pitch

Map the current workflow, quantify the problem and confirm your reading before proposing a product.

Step 1 of 3

If the process includes a live discovery exercise, resist the urge to pitch. The interviewer can learn more from the questions you choose and the details you pursue than from a rehearsed product speech.

Begin with the current workflow. Ask how a recent change moved from idea to production, where it slowed down and who was affected. Follow the buyer's answer before opening a product story. Use one recent example so each follow up stays anchored in real events. Separate elapsed time from active work, and ask who owns the result.

A discovery sequence

Interactive diagram. Step through it with the Next and Previous controls below, or Tab to a region to read its detail.

diagram: flow

Earn the next step by proving that you understood the problem and its cost.