# Complete Discovery Cycle Facilitated by the `/discover` Command: A 7-Step Technical Guide

> Master the complete discovery cycle with the phuryn pm-skills /discover command. This 7-step guide streamlines context gathering to experiment design, validating product assumptions quickly.

- Repository: [Pawel Huryn/pm-skills](https://github.com/phuryn/pm-skills)
- Tags: how-to-guide
- Published: 2026-06-26

---

**The `/discover` command in the `phuryn/pm-skills` repository executes a structured seven-step discovery workflow that progresses from initial context gathering to experiment design, utilizing specialized skill modules to validate product assumptions before engineering commitment.**

The complete discovery cycle provides product managers with a repeatable, checkpointed framework for rapidly validating ideas. Implemented as a slash-command in the open-source [phuryn/pm-skills](https://github.com/phuryn/pm-skills) repository, this orchestration layer chains together discrete skill modules to move from vague concepts to concrete experiment plans within 15-30 minutes.

## The Seven Steps of the Complete Discovery Cycle

The `/discover` command defined in [`pm-product-discovery/commands/discover.md`](https://github.com/phuryn/pm-skills/blob/main/pm-product-discovery/commands/discover.md) sequences seven distinct phases, each implemented by dedicated skill files that handle specific discovery concerns.

### Step 1: Context Gathering

The cycle initiates within [[`discover.md`](https://github.com/phuryn/pm-skills/blob/main/discover.md)](https://github.com/phuryn/pm-skills/blob/main/pm-product-discovery/commands/discover.md) by capturing foundational inputs. The interface prompts for the specific product or feature under investigation, existing known information, and the critical business decision the discovery process will ultimately inform.

### Step 2: Multi-Perspective Ideation

Based on product maturity, the workflow invokes either [[`brainstorm-ideas-existing/SKILL.md`](https://github.com/phuryn/pm-skills/blob/main/brainstorm-ideas-existing/SKILL.md)](https://github.com/phuryn/pm-skills/blob/main/pm-product-discovery/skills/brainstorm-ideas-existing/SKILL.md) or [[`brainstorm-ideas-new/SKILL.md`](https://github.com/phuryn/pm-skills/blob/main/brainstorm-ideas-new/SKILL.md)](https://github.com/phuryn/pm-skills/blob/main/pm-product-discovery/skills/brainstorm-ideas-new/SKILL.md). These modules generate cross-functional ideas from **Product Management**, **Design**, and **Engineering** perspectives, presenting candidates for user selection before proceeding.

### Step 3: Assumption Mapping

Selected ideas undergo devil's-advocate analysis through [[`identify-assumptions-existing/SKILL.md`](https://github.com/phuryn/pm-skills/blob/main/identify-assumptions-existing/SKILL.md)](https://github.com/phuryn/pm-skills/blob/main/pm-product-discovery/skills/identify-assumptions-existing/SKILL.md) or [[`identify-assumptions-new/SKILL.md`](https://github.com/phuryn/pm-skills/blob/main/identify-assumptions-new/SKILL.md)](https://github.com/phuryn/pm-skills/blob/main/pm-product-discovery/skills/identify-assumptions-new/SKILL.md). This step surfaces risky assumptions across **Value**, **Usability**, **Feasibility**, and **Viability** dimensions, with the "new" variant adding **Go-to-Market** analysis for zero-to-one products.

### Step 4: Risk-Based Prioritization

Using [[`prioritize-assumptions/SKILL.md`](https://github.com/phuryn/pm-skills/blob/main/prioritize-assumptions/SKILL.md)](https://github.com/phuryn/pm-skills/blob/main/pm-product-discovery/skills/prioritize-assumptions/SKILL.md), the system maps each assumption onto an **Impact × Risk** matrix. This identifies "leap-of-faith" assumptions and groups testable hypotheses according to validation priority and business risk.

### Step 5: Experiment Design

The workflow transitions to validation planning via [[`brainstorm-experiments-existing/SKILL.md`](https://github.com/phuryn/pm-skills/blob/main/brainstorm-experiments-existing/SKILL.md)](https://github.com/phuryn/pm-skills/blob/main/pm-product-discovery/skills/brainstorm-experiments-existing/SKILL.md) or [[`brainstorm-experiments-new/SKILL.md`](https://github.com/phuryn/pm-skills/blob/main/brainstorm-experiments-new/SKILL.md)](https://github.com/phuryn/pm-skills/blob/main/pm-product-discovery/skills/brainstorm-experiments-new/SKILL.md). Each high-priority assumption receives 1-2 proposed low-effort validation methods, such as **A/B tests**, **fake-door landing pages**, **pretotypes**, or **concierge MVPs**.

### Step 6: Discovery Plan Compilation

An inline template within [[`discover.md`](https://github.com/phuryn/pm-skills/blob/main/discover.md)](https://github.com/phuryn/pm-skills/blob/main/pm-product-discovery/commands/discover.md) synthesizes the selected ideas, prioritized assumptions, and chosen experiments into a downloadable markdown discovery plan document that serves as the single source of truth.

### Step 7: Next-Step Recommendations

Finally, the command presents contextual follow-up actions including **PRD creation**, **interview script drafting**, **metrics dashboard setup**, or **engineering effort estimation**, defined inline within the command file to close the loop.

## Checkpointed Execution Architecture

Each step in the complete discovery cycle is **checkpointed**: the assistant pauses for user confirmation or redirection between phases. This architecture, implemented in the main command file, allows the workflow to be extended, deep-dived, or pivoted without losing accumulated context. The skill modules communicate via structured outputs that feed sequentially into subsequent stages, ensuring data integrity across the entire pipeline.

## Practical Usage Examples

Trigger the complete discovery cycle with a single slash command:

```markdown
/discover Smart notification system for our project-management tool

```

The assistant executes the seven-step sequence:

```

Step 1 – What are you exploring? … (context questions)
Step 2 – Here are 10 ideas (PM/Designer/Engineer). Which 3-5 should we test?
Step 3 – Identified assumptions for each selected idea …
Step 4 – Prioritized assumptions (Impact × Risk matrix) …
Step 5 – Proposed experiments: fake-door landing page, A/B test of notification toggle, …
Step 6 – Generating a markdown Discovery Plan (downloadable file) …
Step 7 – Would you like a PRD, interview script, or metrics dashboard next?

```

For an interactive session with explicit checkpoint control:

```markdown
/discover

```

> *The assistant asks:* "What product or feature are you discovering?"  
> *User replies:* "AI-powered meeting summarizer for remote teams."  
> *Assistant proceeds through the seven steps, prompting for selections after each stage.*

## Key Source Files

| File | Role in the Cycle | Link |
|------|-------------------|------|
| [`pm-product-discovery/commands/discover.md`](https://github.com/phuryn/pm-skills/blob/main/pm-product-discovery/commands/discover.md) | Defines the `/discover` slash command and orchestration logic | [discover.md](https://github.com/phuryn/pm-skills/blob/main/pm-product-discovery/commands/discover.md) |
| [`pm-product-discovery/skills/brainstorm-ideas-existing/SKILL.md`](https://github.com/phuryn/pm-skills/blob/main/pm-product-discovery/skills/brainstorm-ideas-existing/SKILL.md) | Generates multi-perspective ideas for existing products | [brainstorm-ideas-existing](https://github.com/phuryn/pm-skills/blob/main/pm-product-discovery/skills/brainstorm-ideas-existing/SKILL.md) |
| [`pm-product-discovery/skills/brainstorm-ideas-new/SKILL.md`](https://github.com/phuryn/pm-skills/blob/main/pm-product-discovery/skills/brainstorm-ideas-new/SKILL.md) | Generates ideas for new product concepts | [brainstorm-ideas-new](https://github.com/phuryn/pm-skills/blob/main/pm-product-discovery/skills/brainstorm-ideas-new/SKILL.md) |
| [`pm-product-discovery/skills/identify-assumptions-existing/SKILL.md`](https://github.com/phuryn/pm-skills/blob/main/pm-product-discovery/skills/identify-assumptions-existing/SKILL.md) | Maps risky assumptions for existing products | [identify-assumptions-existing](https://github.com/phuryn/pm-skills/blob/main/pm-product-discovery/skills/identify-assumptions-existing/SKILL.md) |
| [`pm-product-discovery/skills/identify-assumptions-new/SKILL.md`](https://github.com/phuryn/pm-skills/blob/main/pm-product-discovery/skills/identify-assumptions-new/SKILL.md) | Maps assumptions for new products | [identify-assumptions-new](https://github.com/phuryn/pm-skills/blob/main/pm-product-discovery/skills/identify-assumptions-new/SKILL.md) |
| [`pm-product-discovery/skills/prioritize-assumptions/SKILL.md`](https://github.com/phuryn/pm-skills/blob/main/pm-product-discovery/skills/prioritize-assumptions/SKILL.md) | Prioritizes assumptions via Impact × Risk matrix | [prioritize-assumptions](https://github.com/phuryn/pm-skills/blob/main/pm-product-discovery/skills/prioritize-assumptions/SKILL.md) |
| [`pm-product-discovery/skills/brainstorm-experiments-existing/SKILL.md`](https://github.com/phuryn/pm-skills/blob/main/pm-product-discovery/skills/brainstorm-experiments-existing/SKILL.md) | Designs validation experiments for existing products | [brainstorm-experiments-existing](https://github.com/phuryn/pm-skills/blob/main/pm-product-discovery/skills/brainstorm-experiments-existing/SKILL.md) |
| [`pm-product-discovery/skills/brainstorm-experiments-new/SKILL.md`](https://github.com/phuryn/pm-skills/blob/main/pm-product-discovery/skills/brainstorm-experiments-new/SKILL.md) | Designs experiments for new product ideas | [brainstorm-experiments-new](https://github.com/phuryn/pm-skills/blob/main/pm-product-discovery/skills/brainstorm-experiments-new/SKILL.md) |

## Summary

- The **complete discovery cycle** consists of seven sequential steps: Context Gathering, Multi-Perspective Ideation, Assumption Mapping, Risk-Based Prioritization, Experiment Design, Discovery Plan Compilation, and Next-Step Recommendations.
- The workflow is **checkpointed** between each step, allowing user redirection while maintaining process integrity.
- Execution time is optimized for **15-30 minutes** through efficient skill chaining in [`pm-product-discovery/commands/discover.md`](https://github.com/phuryn/pm-skills/blob/main/pm-product-discovery/commands/discover.md).
- Parallel skill sets exist for **existing** versus **new** products, differing primarily in Go-to-Market analysis and validation depth.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How long does the complete discovery cycle take?

According to the implementation in [`pm-product-discovery/commands/discover.md`](https://github.com/phuryn/pm-skills/blob/main/pm-product-discovery/commands/discover.md), the entire workflow is designed to complete in **15-30 minutes**. This rapid turnaround is achieved through checkpointed interactions where the user provides targeted inputs at each step, preventing scope creep while maintaining thoroughness.

### What is the difference between the "existing" and "new" product skill paths?

The command automatically selects between parallel skill sets based on product maturity. For existing products, it invokes `brainstorm-ideas-existing`, `identify-assumptions-existing`, and `brainstorm-experiments-existing`, which focus on feature enhancements and incremental validation; for new products, the "new" variants add **Go-to-Market** assumption analysis and emphasize zero-to-one validation strategies.

### Can I skip steps in the discovery cycle?

No, the workflow enforces sequential completion because each step's output feeds directly into the next stage's input. However, the checkpointed architecture allows you to **redirect** or **deep-dive** at any pause point, effectively customizing the depth of each stage without breaking the dependency chain.

### Where is the discovery plan template defined?

The final discovery plan compilation logic resides inline within the [`discover.md`](https://github.com/phuryn/pm-skills/blob/main/discover.md) command file, not in a separate skill module. This template aggregates outputs from the prior six steps into a structured markdown document that serves as the single source of truth for your validation strategy.