Shhh... Most client briefs aren’t ready. They hint at the problem but they don’t provide the path.

Some of the problems we hear from both startups and established organisations:

“We have some ideas but no clarity.” “We need something different, but how do we go about it?” “We need to amplify what we do, how can we do it?”

This is when discovery arrives, clears its throat, raps on the door and announces “let’s do this!”

Discovery is the most human part of the design process. It’s where understanding takes root, alignment happens, creativity sparks and meaningful solutions can begin to take shape.

Discovery is an Empathy SuperPower

At Atticmedia, we treat discovery as something deeper than just pure research. It’s a space to reframe problems through better questions. The more informed the questions, the more empathy you can build into understanding the design of the solution to take forward. Empathy unlocks insights and connections. It’s the difference between building what people say they want and understanding what they actually need. This is why we focus on discovery as the space for cross-functional voices to come together from the start - strategy, delivery, design, tech, users. That mix of perspectives is the raw insight. Discovery gives it a space to spark, settle and take shape.

Why Discovery Fails (or Gets Skipped)

The challenge? Most clients know they need to generate change, or create something new - but they often don’t know how to make that change happen. We’ve seen this countless times: teams with great intentions but no internal traction. They’re not aligned, they don’t have the space to think clearly, and the pressure to “implement” pushes them forward without alignment or clarity. They are working without momentum and this is a key challenge for organisations. This is where Atticmedia’s role, and approach to discovery, is a positive catalyst. We don’t just help you ask better questions - we help you build commitment to the answers. Our discovery work turns the noise of competing needs, assumptions and ideas into clear, shared direction. Action ready Discovery.

Action Ready Discovery

Discovery that leads to action, not just insight - we combine research, ideation, and practical planning. The goal for Discovery isn’t a report - it’s clarity. With clarity you can move forward with confidence.

We use face-to-face workshops and digital collaboration tools like Miro and Figma for real-time and asynchronous conversations. We design our discovery process to build momentum step by step.

Yes, we frame our work with methodologies like Double Diamond or Jobs to Be Done - but the tools and methods are only as good as the conversations they enable. That’s where we focus - creating an environment for quality conversations, curiosity, and collaboration. Discovery is about breaking down silos.

How We Work at Atticmedia

We’re a people-first agency and we take that seriously. We create the conditions for exploration of the big “what if” questions.

Whether it's a one-week sprint or a multi-phase process, we hold space for real thinking and co-creation. This can be seen in projects we have created for HSBC. We developed the creative and learning experience for HSBC’s Accessibility Hub. The Hub features the creative “Rachel Looks for Love”, a four-part story about a character with MS trying online dating for the first time. Through this lens we present how technology can empower - or frustrate - if accessibility isn’t baked into the service from the start.

Rachel Looks for Love is an award-winning experience shaped by early-stage discovery. We combined interviews, desk research and HSBC accessibility audits to build a clear human story mapped to specific learning outcomes - improving digital accessibility in the delivery of digital products and services.

The result was a bold, clear vision that brought the client and their users along from day one.

Discovery Benefits

Done well, discovery gives you three things:

• Clarity - a shared understanding of the problem and what success looks like
• Confidence - a sense that the direction is rooted in insight, not assumption
• Commitment - alignment across teams that doesn’t dissolve in the face of emerging challenges

It’s not about slowing down. It’s about going further, together.

Talk to Us Before You Write the Brief

If you’re at the start of something new - or stuck in the middle of something messy - discovery might be exactly what you need. Not just to figure out what to do next, but to make sure everyone is with you.

We’re all humans - let’s ask the questions that matter, together!