Episode #17: How do I know I’ve done enough discovery? -with Tim Herbig (Product Management Coach)

There’s a fine line between ‘just enough’ discovery… and getting down the rabbit hole.

I call this the paradox of discovery: the more you do, the more you want to do. And yet, the better you get at knowing when to stop. But… how do you actually know when you’ve done just enough discovery?

I’ve seen teams fall into the rabbit hole, chasing certainty through endless research. And I’ve seen others stop too early, thinking they’re done just because they ticked the “number of interviews” box.
Here’s the thing: great discovery isn’t about getting to certainty, it’s about knowing what you’re trying to uncover in the first place, and address your riskiest assumption.

In this week’s Tough Stuff episode, I’m joined by the one and only Tim Herbig to unpack how we can know that we’ve done enough discovery. I had such a great time recording this, and I have learned a lot:
• Why massive assumption trees signal strategic misalignment—and need escalation, not more discovery
• How time-boxing and focusing on high-leverage activities to test your riskiest assumption, lead to better, faster learning
• How to gamify discovery to build the right habits in your team (yes, it’s fun—and no, I’m not spoiling it, you gotta listen 😉)

🎧 Knowing when to stop discovering isn’t guesswork, it’s a skill you can build.

Hit play to stop treating discovery like a checkbox, and start using it as your superpower to bring better products to market. Concrete insights guaranteed!