CourseForward Deployed Engineer: The Complete Course · Module 3: Discovery and Problem Framing · part 20 of 85
Part 20 · Module 3: Discovery and Problem Framing

Lesson 2: From a vague ask to a measured scope

21 min read·13 Oct 2026
Module 3 · Lesson 2 · About 50 minutes · Needs: Lesson 1 (Joan's process map); Module 2 (the prototype)

The situation

Thursday 19 March 2026, week 1 at Harbourline Freight. Yesterday Joan looked up HF-88301 across three systems with your prototype, and Carol Whitfield asked for it to be "rolled out on Monday". Ben Castell's emails from the sales cycle still promise "fully automated claims".

Nobody has written down what problem is being solved, what number says it is solved, or what that number is today. By Friday 27 March you will give Rafael Dias and Carol one page: a problem statement, a baseline, a target, a first slice, the constraints, and four clear noes.

WEEKS 1 AND 2 AT HARBOURLINE Wed 18 Mar Joan tries it Thu 19 Mar today Mon 23 Mar Carol: roll out? Fri 27 Mar scope signed one page: problem, number, baseline, slice, limits, noes
The prototype worked on Wednesday and Carol wants it rolled out on Monday (red, a request you will decline); the agreed scope is due on Friday 27 March (green).

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