What is the Hot Seat? A role-play exercise where one participant (the Architect) conducts a discovery conversation against a peer playing a difficult stakeholder: a skeptical CFO, a resistant VP of Engineering, a politically cautious project sponsor. This sheet prepares both the Architect and the Facilitator/Role-Player.
Part 1: For the Architect (Participant in the Hot Seat)
1A. Choose Your Real Engagement
The Hot Seat is more valuable when it uses a real scenario rather than a fictional one. Choose a current or recent engagement where your discovery was incomplete or unclear.
Stated ask from the customer
What you believe the real constraint is (your hypothesis going in)
The hardest question you have been avoiding asking, and why
1B. Your Simulation Goal
What specific skill do you want to practice or stress-test in this simulation? Choose one.
- Using the Inversion Method without the conversation feeling forced
- Staying in Problem Space when the stakeholder pushes for a solution
- Asking the Veto / Budget / Downstream questions in natural sequence
- Handling a non-answer or deflection and re-routing
- Getting the financial framing from the customer, not providing it myself
1C. Your Discovery Question Set
Write out the 5 questions you plan to ask in sequence. You will not read these in the simulation, but writing them commits them to memory.
| # | Question | Target category (Financial / Org / Timeline) |
|---|
| 1 | | |
| 2 | | |
| 3 | | |
| 4 | | |
| 5 | | |
Part 2: For the Facilitator / Role-Player
2A. Your Character Briefing
The facilitator plays the skeptical stakeholder. Choose a character type and use the pressure tactics below.
| Character Type | Default Posture | Pressure Tactic |
|---|
| CFO | Friendly but financially focused; asks what everything costs immediately | Every 3 minutes: "What's the ROI on that?" |
| Resistant VP of Engineering | Politely dismissive; already knows what they want to build | Deflects discovery questions with technical answers |
| Political Sponsor | Enthusiastic in public, evasive about internal conflict | Gives vague answers; changes subject when shadow stakeholders are named |
| Inherited-account contact | Guarded; former vendor was burned; low trust | Answers in monosyllables; tests whether Architect pushes |
One piece of hidden information the Architect must surface (reveal only if asked correctly)
2B. Simulation Rules
- Duration: 15 minutes. Facilitator calls time.
- No notes: The Architect may not refer to their question list once the simulation starts.
- No coaching during: Observe and note. Debrief immediately after.
- Hard stop: If the Architect enters Solution Space before all three constraint categories are filled, pause and name it.
Part 3: Debrief (Both Participants)
Complete immediately after the simulation, before discussing anything else.
Architect self-report (2 minutes, solo, before peer feedback)
- What constraint did you surface that you didn't expect?
- When did you feel the pull toward Solution Space? What happened?
- What question did you not ask, and why?
Facilitator observation
- When did the Architect enter Solution Space prematurely?
- Which question was most effective at surfacing a real constraint?
- What body language or vocal pattern signaled discomfort with the silence?
Agreed-upon single improvement for next time