The CORE Discovery 3.0 Framework: A Short Overview
CORE Discovery 3.0 is an advanced strategic framework designed to guide businesses and creative professionals through the complexities of understanding and aligning project goals with client needs and business objectives. The framework was created by José Caballer, a UX Designer and Creative Director, co-founder of The Systm, and notably associated with starting The Skool which became The Futur. CORE Discovery serves as a vital tool for enhancing strategic planning and execution across various types of projects, including web design, brand identity, and packaging design.
Evolution and Enhancements in Version 3.0
CORE Discovery 3.0 introduces several enhancements to make the strategic process more intuitive and effective. The updates include dividing exercises into primary and secondary categories for better clarity, adding a new Alkemista Design presentation, introducing a CORE Brief, and providing a comprehensive Packaging Rebrand case study. These changes are designed to streamline the discovery process and enhance the clarity of communication between designers and their clients.
CORE Discovery Framework: A Closer Look
CORE Discovery is fundamentally about understanding a client’s business deeply before commencing any project. It involves a series of structured exercises that facilitate alignment among team members and stakeholders and prioritize the client’s business goals. This approach ensures that all parties are on the same page, leading to more effective project outcomes and minimal need for revisions.
Primary and Secondary Exercises
The framework is organized into primary and secondary exercises. Primary exercises focus on core strategic elements such as defining the brand, understanding user goals, and aligning business objectives. Secondary exercises help in translating these core insights into actionable design strategies and outputs.
The CORE Brief and Rebrand Case Study
A significant addition in version 3.0 is the CORE Brief, a tool that helps capture and summarize the findings from the discovery exercises. This brief is crucial for guiding the subsequent phases of the project. Furthermore, the inclusion of a Packaging Rebrand case study provides a real-world example of how CORE Discovery can be applied effectively, offering insights and inspiration for users of the framework.
Strategic Leadership and Collaboration
One of the foundational principles of CORE Discovery is the emphasis on the designer as a strategic leader rather than just an order-taker. This approach fosters close collaboration with clients, considering their input essential throughout the discovery process. The framework encourages iterative development, where ideas are scaffolded and refined through continuous feedback, rather than aiming for a grand creative unveiling without prior validation.
Implementing CORE Discovery
CORE Discovery can be initiated at different stages of a project:
- After Contracting: Sometimes used in smaller projects, this approach involves defining the project scope based on initial client requirements before engaging in detailed discovery.
- Before Contracting (Ideal Approach): This approach advocates for conducting a comprehensive discovery phase before finalizing the project scope. This allows for a more accurate estimation of project needs and aligns expectations.
- During Engagement (Agile Approach): In this approach, discovery sessions are integrated throughout the project lifecycle, allowing for ongoing adjustments and refinements based on real-time feedback.
Facilitating Work Sessions
Effective facilitation is key to the success of CORE Discovery sessions. Work sessions, as opposed to traditional meetings, are structured to foster collaboration, idea generation, and decision-making. These sessions are characterized by clear agendas, time-boxing, and a focus on data and facts to guide discussions. The framework recommends using both physical and virtual tools to enhance interaction and participation, ensuring that all stakeholders are actively engaged in the process.
Conclusion
CORE Discovery 3.0 represents a sophisticated evolution of a strategic framework that blends design thinking with business strategy. It is tailored to meet the needs of modern businesses seeking to align their projects more closely with their strategic goals. By empowering designers to act as strategic leaders and fostering a collaborative environment, CORE Discovery ensures that projects are not only creatively inspired but also strategically sound, delivering value and innovation in a systematic and repeatable manner. This approach not only enhances the project outcomes but also significantly improves client satisfaction and engagement.
About The Author
José Caballer is the co-founder of The Systm. His mission is to help transform Designers into Design Leaders by sharing Design and business strategy education. A dynamic speaker and UX designer, he created the CORE Discovery framework to align creative projects with business objectives, empowering designers worldwide through transformative educational resources and workshops.
