The New Discovery Phase: Proving Concepts with Code Instead of Documentation

Like many others, AI has led our agency to undergo a significant transformation in how we approach client projects - much to the benefit of clients. The inclusion of artificial intelligence tools into our workflow has fundamentally changed how we conceptualize, plan, and execute digital solutions—particularly for startup clients and custom software development. This shift represents not just a technological upgrade for us internally, but a redefinition of the client-agency relationship, by shifting focus to tangible results earlier in the process.

The Traditional Approach: Documentation-Heavy Discovery

Traditionally, our process followed a well-established pattern familiar to many in the digital agency space, starting with a "project discovery":

1. We’d conduct an initial client meeting to understand a project’s broad requirements
2. Then, we’d hold multiple discovery sessions to gather detailed information
3. This would lead to the creation of extensive findings documents (often 60-70 pages)
4. We would then begin the development of budget and timeframe proposals based on these findings
5. After arriving at an agreement, our team would begin the production of design renderings, and the project would be in motion.

While thorough, this approach had several drawbacks. The time between the initial concept and seeing any tangible output could span months. It takes time to design interfaces, and often the first thing a client would see would be design mockups rather than anything that shows the “magic” of the concept. Clients were asked to approve significant investments based largely on documentation rather than functional evidence of concept viability. Additionally, the handoff between discovery, design, and development phases sometimes would lead to information loss and misinterpretations.

The New Way: AI-Accelerated Prototyping

Today, our workflow looks very different. Rather than channeling resources into extensive documentation, we're investing that same time and budget into building functional prototypes early in the process. This change has been made possible by the emergence of a slew of AI tools that dramatically accelerate production capabilities. By combining our experience with these tools, we are able to give clients more valuable outputs much earlier in the process.

How It Works

When a client approaches us with a new product idea—particularly startups or businesses requiring custom software solutions—we now a more streamlined approach:

1. We’ll  spend some time on initial requirements gathering – understanding what a project is, how it will work, who will use it, etc.
2. Then, we’ll rapidly prototype development using AI-powered tools – think “vibe coding” but with a finer eye toward future possibilities.
3. We’ll actually build the necessary integrations with third-party services to demonstrate real functionality.
4. From there, we’ll conduct iterative refinement based on tangible client feedback.
5. Finally, we can transition to full development with a clear, proven concept.

The key difference is that within the same timeframe and budget, which would have previously produced only paperwork, clients now receive working prototypes that demonstrate core functionality, third-party integrations, and user flows. It’s life-changing for a client who wants to be assured quickly that their concept is achievable – and useful!

Tangible Benefits Across the Development Lifecycle

This new approach yields substantial benefits throughout the project lifecycle:

For Clients

• Concept Validation: Clients can now see their ideas functioning in the real world before committing to full development.
• Investor-Ready: Clients can use working prototypes to secure funding or internal buy-in goes much further than a document. Being able to display actual functionality is a powerful motivator.
• Reduced Risk: It is quicker and easier to identify potential issues or pivots earlier when changes are less costly. Or to prove that the concept works or doesn’t.
• Clearer Understanding: Clients can now interact with their product quicker, rather than trying to visualize it from technical documentation.

For Developers

• Proven Viability: We can now begin development with a clear understanding of how features should function and use AI tools to prove the best methods for development.
• Integration Roadmaps: Third-party integration endpoints are already identified and tested, lowering future developer interactions with project managers.
• Technical Challenges: Major technical hurdles are identified early in the process and AI is assistive in correcting these issues.
• Refined Requirements: Specifications are based on prototype feedback rather than theoretical discussions – this is a more “real-world” approach.

For Designers

• Functional Context: Now designers can render with a complete understanding of how features operate – this eliminates a potential and common area of miscommunication.
• User Flow Clarity: It’s much easier to visualize the entire user journey through working examples than flowcharts.
• Reduced Revisions: Fewer misunderstandings about functionality lead to more accurate initial designs and therefore reduce time and cost.
• Better Collaboration: The prototype serves as a north star, a common reference point between clients, developers, and the design team.

For Project Management

• Streamlined Communication: Everyone refers to the same working model – this introduces inherent efficiencies.
• More Accurate Timelines: Better estimation based on proven concepts means less room for error.
• Focused Development: Clear priorities are established through prototype testing, with key areas already coded to an extent. This means less theorizing and more actual building.
• Higher Client Satisfaction: Tangible results early in the process build trust and engagement earlier preventing the inevitable loss of confidence during longer development cycles.

The Critical Role of AI Tools

This change of direction would not be possible without advanced AI coding agents that have dramatically changed our production capabilities. Specifically, tools like Claude Code from Anthropic and OpenAI's Codex have revolutionized our ability to:

• Generate functional code rapidly for proof-of-concept features quickly and easily.
• Create interactive interfaces without extensive hand-coding using common front-end libraries.
• Connect to APIs and third-party services with minimal configuration – somewhat like we would use PostMan for but with a conversational approach.
• Iterate quickly based on feedback given – in plan language.

These AI coding assistants exemplify our new capabilities—able to produce sophisticated scripts and functional components in a fraction of the time required for traditional development. The ability to describe your business requirements in natural language and receive working code in return has compressed what were once many week-long development cycles into hours of productive collaboration with you.

Important Limitations and Considerations

While celebrating these advancements, it’s important that we all maintain a realistic perspective on the current capabilities and limitations of AI when it comes to software development:

Sweet Spots and Success Stories

We've discovered that these AI coding tools can shine in specific scenarios. One notable success has been in developing small, limited-use internal applications. For example, we've helped clients(and ourselves) create:

• Internal dashboards that consolidate data from multiple sources
• Workflow automation tools for specific departmental needs
• Simple data processing utilities that save hours of manual work
• Custom reporting tools that integrate with existing systems

These internal tools often don't require the pain-in-the-butt standards of customer-facing applications but can deliver incredible value by addressing specific operational pain points quickly. In these cases, AI-generated code can sometimes go directly into production with minimal modifications, delivering immediate ROI.

AI is Not Replacing Development Teams

Despite these impressive capabilities, AI tools are still not coding things perfectly nor with a holistic viewpoint of an entire project. For example, while Claude Code and OpenAI Codex can build robust proofs of concept and generate numerous working scripts, they struggle with complex coding frameworks and enterprise-level considerations or understanding the entire picture. What they excel at is rapidly bringing your ideas to life in a tangible form you can interact with, test, and refine before making larger investments. They do very well with small applications and less moving parts.

For comprehensive applications—especially those that serve customers, process sensitive data, or require enterprise-grade performance—skilled developers remain essential to the process. The AI tools serve as powerful accelerators and prototyping aids, but the final product still benefits from human expertise and refinement.

Prototypes ARE NOT Production-Ready Products

The prototypes we create serve as powerful proof-of-concept tools but typically lack:

• Enterprise-grade security implementations.
• Scalability for high-volume usage.
• Comprehensive accessibility features.
• Optimized performance under load.
• Complete error handling and edge cases.

The Human Element Remains Essential

Our approach leverages AI as a powerful accelerator, but human expertise remains critical for:

• Architectural decisions that affect long-term scalability.
• Security considerations and implementation.
• User experience refinement beyond basic functionality.
• Business logic verification and edge case handling.
• Accessibility compliance and implementation.
• Performance optimization.

A Perfect Balance: AI-Powered Prototyping + Professional Development

Our feelings are as follows: the development of large enterprise projects that rely on scalability, security, and accessibility still requires a dedicated development team working with established best practices. The AI-accelerated prototyping phase doesn't replace this need—it enhances it by providing a clearer roadmap and proven concept.

The true power of this new approach lies in how it bridges the gap between concept and execution. Clients can use these tangible deliverables to:

1. Secure investment funding with a working demonstration.
2. Test core assumptions with real users before full investment.
3. Make informed decisions about feature priorities.
4. Build internal consensus around product direction.
5. Enter the development phase with greater confidence and clarity.

Wrapping Up

This shift toward AI-powered prototyping represents more than just a technological upgrade—it's a fundamental reimagining of how an agency can collaborate with you, the client, more effectively. By providing tangible results earlier in the process, we're creating a more transparent, collaborative, and ultimately successful partnership.

For you as our client, the advantages are clear:

• See your ideas come to life in weeks rather than months – a big win.
• Make informed decisions based on working prototypes, not just documentation.
• Use functional demos to secure funding or internal buy-in.
• Enter development with confidence that your concept works.
• Identify potential issues or opportunities when changes are least expensive.

The result is a win for everyone involved: you see your vision materialize faster, development teams work with clearer specifications, designers understand full functionality from the start, and your project progresses with greater confidence and alignment.

As AI tools continue to evolve, I expect this approach to become even more powerful for turning your ideas into reality. However, we remain committed to the principle that these tools work best when amplifying human creativity and expertise rather than replacing it. The most successful digital products will come from the optimal partnership between AI and HI - human intelligence - each contributing their unique strengths to create exceptional digital experiences for your customers.

Ready to see how AI-accelerated prototyping can bring your next digital product idea to life? Let's talk about how we can help you move from concept to reality faster than ever before.