Essay · Frameworks
Phase 0 of BVDLC: Strategic Context & Objectives
The Business Value Driven Life Cycle begins before we write a line of code. Phase 0 is where clarity is negotiated.
Phase 0 takes two to three focused days. Skip it and AI will help you build the wrong thing faster. Do it well and every downstream phase is anchored in business reality, not vibes.
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Define the why, the desired change, and how success will be measured before any solutioning. This is the executive-level contract for the work ahead.
Duration: 2–3 days of workshops and async synthesis.
Phase 0 activities
| Activity | Questions | Output |
|---|---|---|
| Business Problem Definition | Who is hurting? How much? What breaks today? | Problem statement with quantified stakes |
| Success Metrics | Which 1–3 KPIs prove impact? Baseline vs. target? | Scorecard with owners, cadence, and thresholds |
| Value Hypothesis | We believe X will achieve Y because Z | Documented hypothesis + falsifiable checkpoints |
| Investment Thesis | What's the ROI, payback period, risk-adjusted return? | Financial model + appetite alignment |
| Stakeholder Alignment | Who sponsors this? Who is accountable? Who must be informed? | RACI + executive sign-off |
| Constraints & Scope | What technical, regulatory, or org limits exist? | Guardrails, non-goals, integration boundaries |
| Risk Assessment | What could derail us? Probability × impact? | Risk register with mitigations and triggers |
Cadence and facilitation
- Day 1: Interviews with executives, product, finance, GTM.
- Day 2: Synthesis, metric selection, investment thesis, draft risks.
- Day 3: Alignment session + sign-off on the Phase 0 packet.
Make the work visible. Use a single readout doc and circulate it for async comments before the live alignment meeting.
Why this matters
Every hour spent in Phase 0 saves roughly ten hours in Phase 4 when teams are deep in implementation. Context disciplines the roadmap, highlights tradeoffs, and keeps AI initiatives from becoming expensive science projects.
Checklist before leaving Phase 0
- Executive sponsor names the problem and stakes in their own words.
- KPIs have owners, baselines, targets, and review cadence.
- Value hypothesis is testable and time-boxed.
- Risk register lists triggers + mitigation owners.
- Constraints are explicit - no hidden integration work or policy blockers.
Common failure modes
- Confusing velocity with validation - starting Phase 1 without sponsor sign-off.
- Letting metrics drift into vanity territory.
- Skipping the investment thesis because “product-market fit will handle it.”
- Documenting risks but not the mitigations.
Phase 0 is the cheapest time to say no. Use it.