The discovery process involves learning all you can about a project before you start: an analysis of the company, industry, and audience. This process can range from a few days of informal online research to several months of analyzing market trends and customer demographics. The price tag can vary from zero dollars to a healthy six-figure fee, depending on the approach, deliverables, and expertise offered. Whatever approach you use, discovery entails a process of information-gathering and research that allows a team to familiarize themselves with the project at hand from a fresh perspective. Allocate a few weeks to concurrently conduct an informal competitive analysis and create user profiles while executing the project definition phase.