Strategic Architect Framework: Microsoft CSA Training Program

Module 01: Discovery Workbook

Advanced Discovery & The Problem-Space Deep Dive

Purpose: This workbook guides you through each M01 framework before, during, and after a customer engagement. Complete Section A before any first meeting. Complete Sections B–D during or immediately after. Section E is your personal debrief.

Section A: Pre-Meeting: Artifact Inquiry

Complete this before reading any customer materials in depth. Force yourself to articulate what you expect to find before you see it.

A1. What artifacts did the customer send?

A2. Absence Audit: What is conspicuously missing?

For each category below, note whether it appears in the artifact and your hypothesis about why it is or isn't there.

Category	Present? (Y/N)	If absent: why might that be?
Financial / budget framing
Compliance / regulatory requirements
Named executive sponsors
Organizational change / training plan
Timeline driver (what event forces the deadline)
Prior failure history
Cross-functional stakeholders (Finance, Legal, HR)
Existing vendor relationships

A3. Top 3 Questions to Open With

Based on the absences above, write the three most important questions to ask in the first 15 minutes.

Question 1 (Financial category)

Question 2 (Organizational category)

Question 3 (Timeline / Risk category)

Section B: During Discovery: Inversion Method

Use the Inversion prompt around minutes 8–12 of the meeting, after enough rapport has been established. Record responses verbatim where possible.

Inversion prompt used

Customer's response (verbatim or close paraphrase)

What organizational constraint, prior failure, or shadow stakeholder did this surface?

Section C: Problem-Space Deep Dive Log

Do not advance to Solution Space until all three categories are filled.

Financial Constraints

CapEx vs. OpEx posture, budget pool type, fiscal year timing, approval authority, spend gates

Organizational Constraints

Teams not represented in the room, political tensions, prior failed initiatives, change readiness

Timeline / Risk Constraints

Regulatory cycles, audit windows, board events, product launches, headcount freezes

Section D: Shadow Stakeholder Map

List every person mentioned but not present. Classify their influence type.

Name / Role	Influence Type (Veto / Budget / Downstream)	Current Status (engaged / unaware / resistant)	Required Action

Highest-risk shadow stakeholder and why

Section E: Post-Meeting Self-Assessment

Discovery Audit: did you hit the bar?

Criterion	Met? (Y / Partial / N)	Evidence
Identified 1+ Financial constraint not in the brief
Identified 1+ Organizational constraint not in the brief
Identified 1+ Timeline/Risk constraint not in the brief
Named at least one Shadow Stakeholder
Resisted entering Solution Space before all three categories were filled