---
description: 'DT Curriculum Module 1: Scope Conversations — concepts, techniques, checks, and exercises'
applyTo: '**/.copilot-tracking/dt/**/curriculum-01*'
---

# DT Curriculum Module 1: Scope Conversations

Scope conversations are the entry point to the Problem Space. They exist to ensure teams understand the actual problem before pursuing solutions. This module teaches learners how to move from an initial request to a validated problem frame through structured stakeholder dialogue.

## Key Concepts

*Frozen vs fluid requests* — A frozen request names a specific solution ("Build me a quality dashboard"). A fluid request describes a vague desire ("We want to use AI somehow"). Classification determines the conversation strategy: frozen requests need unfreezing through assumption surfacing, while fluid requests need scoping through progressive focusing. Learners often assume frozen requests are clearer and therefore better, but they frequently mask the real problem.

*Stakeholder ecosystem mapping* — Identifying primary stakeholders (decision makers, budget holders, daily users), secondary stakeholders (influencers, supporters, resistors), and hidden stakeholders (compliance, regulatory, union, IT security). The goal is discovering who the solution affects, not just who requested it. A common misconception is that the person requesting work represents all affected users.

*Constraint discovery* — Uncovering physical environment, operational workflow, and technical reality constraints that could invalidate solution assumptions before significant effort is invested. Learners tend to treat constraints as obstacles rather than as design parameters that shape viable solutions.

*Problem space discipline* — Scope conversations deliberately avoid solution discussions. Premature solutioning anchors thinking on approaches that address symptoms rather than root causes. Learners frequently conflate understanding the problem with being slow or indecisive.

## Techniques

*Progressive questioning* moves from broad context ("Tell me about your current process") to specific constraints ("What happens during night shifts when a machine stops?"). Each answer narrows the scope while revealing assumptions. Good output is a set of validated problem dimensions; a common pitfall is leading questions that confirm existing assumptions.

*Frozen request unfreezing* starts with the stated solution, then works backward: "What problem does the dashboard solve?" → "How do you know that problem exists?" → "Who experiences it most?" Each step peels back solution-first thinking. The pitfall is challenging the request too aggressively, which damages trust.

*Stakeholder tier mapping* categorizes every person or group the solution touches into primary, secondary, and hidden tiers, then identifies gaps — voices not yet heard. Good output is a map with at least one hidden stakeholder surfaced.

## Comprehension Checks

1. A plant manager asks "Build us a real-time quality dashboard for the production floor." Is this request frozen or fluid? What would your first question be, and why?
2. Why must scope conversations stay in the problem space even when stakeholders push for solution discussions?
3. A team identified operators and supervisors as stakeholders but no one else. What category of stakeholders are they likely missing, and what risks does that create?
4. How does constraint discovery during scoping differ from constraint discovery during prototyping?

## Practice Exercises

*Exercise: Classify and unfreeze* — Given the manufacturing scenario request "Build a quality dashboard," write three progressive questions that move from the stated solution toward the underlying problem. Each question should reveal a different assumption embedded in the original request.

*Exercise: Hidden stakeholder search* — Using the manufacturing plant context (day shifts outperform night shifts on first-pass yield), identify at least two hidden stakeholders not mentioned in the initial request. For each, explain what perspective they bring that primary stakeholders cannot.

## Learner Level Adaptations

Beginners should focus on the frozen-vs-fluid distinction and basic progressive questioning. Intermediate learners benefit from comparing different questioning strategies and understanding how stakeholder mapping connects forward to Method 2 research planning. Advanced learners should explore edge cases where scope conversations reveal the original request should be abandoned entirely, and critique how power dynamics between stakeholders shape which problems get prioritized.
