Your Privacy

This site uses cookies to enhance your browsing experience and deliver personalized content. By continuing to use this site, you consent to our use of cookies.
COOKIE POLICY

Skip to main content

What to Ask in a UX Discovery Session

By Violet Riggs

What to Ask in a UX Discovery Session 
Back to insights

Better questions lead to better design. 

In my years as a UI/UX designer, I’ve learned that many design challenges may come from misalignment at the start. Discovery sessions are where product clarity is either made or missed. 

These are a few discovery questions I consistently return to in the discovery phase of my UX design process. They help me uncover user needs, align with business goals, and avoid costly misunderstandings. It’s more than getting the “right” answers – it’s about creating a shared understanding. 

1. Understand the Business Vision

Before we talk screens or user flows, I want to know what the business actually needs.

Questions I ask: 

  • “What does success look like for this product, in your words?” 
  • “What KPIs or business outcomes are we aiming for?” 
  • “What is the long-term vision and goal of the project?” 

Why it matters:
These questions create a strategic baseline and reduce the risk of design becoming a pixel-pushing exercise.  

2. Get to Know the Users (Beyond Personas)

User understanding is often assumed, but not always verified.

Questions I ask: 

  • “Who are the primary users, and have they been validated?” 
  • “What are they actually trying to accomplish, beyond this product?” 
  • “What does success look like to the user when they use this product?” 

Why it matters: 

Good design meets users where they are. It includes the environment they’re in, their habits, and how they think through problems. 

3. Surface Constraints Early

Every project has limits. I want to uncover them before they become blockers.

Questions I ask: 

  • “What technical or platform constraints should we know about?” 
  • “Are there regulatory, legal, or accessibility requirements?” 
  • “What’s been tried before and why didn’t it stick?” 

Why it matters:
Constraints aren’t problems, they’re parameters. Knowing them early leads to smarter solutions faster. 

4. Define Collaboration Up Front

Great design doesn’t happen in a vacuum – it happens through relationships.

Questions I ask: 

  • “Who are the key stakeholders and decision-makers?” 
  • “What’s the preferred cadence and format for keeping stakeholders updated and engaged?” 
  • “What does a ‘smooth’ process look like to this team?” 

Why it matters:
Discovery is not just for designing the product. It’s also about designing the collaboration and building relationships. 

The Power of Discovery

Discovery is about curiosity. Asking the right questions builds clarity, trust, and develops shared goals. Most importantly, they ensure we’re solving the right problem and building the right product.

Of course, there are many more questions I ask in discovery sessions; these are just a few that come up frequently. The questions I use often shift depending on the client, the product, or where the team is in their journey.

I’d love to hear what questions you rely on in your discovery sessions. Let’s connect and learn from each other!

Digging In

  • Design

    Design is a Business Decision

    The Infrastructure of Impact The “service provider” model of design is dead. Design spent years as a downstream beautification station. Tickets went there to get “polished.” The industry called this a service. It was a systemic failure. When design sits in a silo, the organization selects for inertia. Better UI won’t save a bad product. […]

  • Design

    AI & Ethics in UX Design: How UDig Champions the Human

    Artificial intelligence is rapidly reshaping how organizations design digital products and services. Within UX and human-centered design, AI now supports everything from research synthesis and behavioral analysis to interface generation and personalization at scale. For our clients, this presents enormous opportunity — faster insights, improved accessibility, and more adaptive experiences. But it also introduces a […]

  • Design

    Design at the Speed of Thought

    AI is changing how designers work. Not by replacing judgment, but by expanding what’s possible before a single decision is made. Here’s how AI inside of Figma is helping our team explore faster, iterate wider, and stay in flow. AI as a Design Partner Replace content AI helps teams quickly replace placeholder or duplicated text […]

  • Design

    Turning Customer Intent into Action: A Digital Front Door Redesign

    Operating the world's largest network of private aviation terminals, our client delivers a premium, service-first experience for customers. But its information-rich website often routed users toward phone and email workflows for common tasks like finding a Fixed Base Operator (FBO), exploring services, or initiating reservations, creating friction for customers and added manual effort for internal teams.

  • Design

    A Day in the Life of Nadean Ali, UX Design Consultant

    Ever wondered what a day in the life of one of our consultants looks like? This series dives into the details! Today, we’re spotlighting Nadean Ali, a UX Design Consultant based in Atlanta. Here’s a glimpse into her typical day. Morning I’m an early bird, so I usually start my day with a warm cup of tea, […]

  • Design

    Visual QA Checker Prototype

    Automates visual QA by checking builds against design specs and rules, flagging inconsistencies early so teams deliver higher-quality products, faster handoffs, and smoother launches.