As many as 70% of digital transformation projects fail to achieve their objectives.

This is not merely a frustrating statistic; it’s a costly one. In the UK alone, this translates to an estimated £50–70 billion lost each year on software that doesn’t stick, platforms that are rarely used, and tools that address the wrong problems. Considering a global waste of $2.3 trillion and the UK’s share of global GDP, this conservative estimate highlights widespread inefficiencies, not only in the public sector but across private industry as well. 

The Hidden Cost of Going Too Fast 

It’s human nature to value action over reflection, especially under pressure. But rushing to deliver without first understanding the real problem can backfire. When businesses prioritise speed over strategy, they often miss critical insight and end up solving the wrong challenge altogether. Without defined success criteria or insight into user behaviours, you risk solving surface-level symptoms rather than root causes. 

The urgency to digitise is real. Tight margins, rising expectations, and pressure from leadership often lead businesses to jump straight into solutions without properly scoping the problem. But skipping the strategy phase is a false economy. 

Whether it’s an off-the-shelf platform or a bespoke build, jumping ahead without clear direction leads to: 

  • Features that are barely used 
  • Tech that doesn’t match internal workflows 
  • Tools that can’t scale with the business 
  • Poor integration with existing systems 
  • Staff frustration and customer churn 

In many cases, businesses end up building the wrong thing, or the right thing in the wrong way. 

Discovery Isn’t a Delay; It’s a Safeguard 

We believe in building the right product. This means focusing on the right problems from the outset, and Discovery is our means of achieving that. It’s not about slowing down the process; instead, it’s about ensuring that you’re heading in the right direction before you accelerate. 

Through structured discovery workshops, we: 

  • Define the core business challenge 
  • Map existing processes and workflows 
  • Engage real users to gather insight 
  • Prioritise features based on value 
  • Identify technical and operational risks early 

This upfront work fosters alignment across teams and provides a shared understanding of what success truly entails. It means you’re not guessing; you’re validating. 

Why Tech Fails Without Insight 

There is a common myth that digital products fail due to poor development. More frequently, they fail for the following reasons: 

  • Misaligned business objectives 
  • Poor understanding of end users 
  • Lack of stakeholder input 
  • Rigid internal processes 

Discovery tackles all these issues head-on. 

Often, teams make assumptions based on their own preferences or ways of working, assuming users will think and behave the same way. This disconnect can lead to solutions that appear effective on paper but fail to deliver in practice. To bridge this gap, real-world user research is essential. 

True insight comes from closing this empathy gap through user-centred research. By observing behaviours, asking the right questions, and validating assumptions early, you ensure your product aligns with real user needs, not imagined ones. 

It’s the bridge between your business goals and your users’ real-world behaviours. 

You Can’t Afford to Guess 

With budgets under scrutiny and the pressure to deliver results quickly, the temptation to rush into build mode is stronger than ever. But the most successful digital products start with a clear understanding of: 

  • What problem are we solving? 
  • Who are we solving it for? 
  • What does success look like? 

Getting those answers early helps you: 

  • Avoid rework and costly pivots 
  • Gain faster buy-in from stakeholders 

When everyone involved understands why a product exists and who it serves, decisions become clearer, alignment is stronger, and progress happens faster. Discovery provides that clarity, helping teams move with purpose rather than guesswork. 

Deliver value sooner to users and the business. 

Build With Confidence, Not Assumptions 

If you’re planning a new digital product, pause before jumping into development. Prioritise discovery, involve your users, and define success from day one. 

Want to Avoid Wasting Budget on the Wrong Tech? 

Book a Discovery Workshop with Sonin to align your team, validate your product, and build the right solution. 

TL;DR: 

  • UK businesses are losing millions on digital products that don’t deliver. 
  • The fix? Prioritise discovery to understand the problem before you build. 
  • Engage real users to uncover insights and avoid assumptions. 
  • Align strategy and planning to reduce risk and increase ROI. 
  • It’s not just smarter; it’s safer.