From Code to Concept: Why Developers Struggle (and Succeed!) in the Co-Create Phase

As developers, we're often wired to build. We see a problem, and our first instinct is to dive into code, architect solutions, and bring ideas to life with elegant syntax. But what if I told you that the most crucial phase of a project often involves not writing code?

Welcome to the "Co-create" phase – a foundational stage that many developers find challenging, yet it's where the true business value is unearthed.

The Co-Create Conundrum: More Than Just Gathering Requirements

In the Co-create phase, the focus isn't on execution; it's on understanding and defining potential business opportunities. It's about stepping back from the keyboard and engaging deeply with stakeholders, asking the right questions, and laying the groundwork for solutions that truly matter.

From the data you provided, we can see this explicitly:

• "Heavily focused on gathering data to support the business claims or rather drive them."
• "Really difficult as a developer to not write code during this phase."

This tension is real. Developers, myself included, often find ourselves constantly asking, "When do I get to code?" It feels counter-intuitive to spend significant time not building, especially when the drive to create is so strong.

Why the Struggle is Worth It

The Co-create phase isn't about speed; it's about aligning and prioritizing on the most important opportunities to address. It's about ensuring that when we do start coding, we're building the right thing.

Consider these insights from the data:

• "It focuses on what's going to deliver the most business value."
• "The right questions are: What are the right problems to solve? What are the most valuable solutions for the business?"

Without this critical upfront work, even the most brilliantly coded solution can miss the mark if it's solving the wrong problem or providing insufficient business value.

Our Experience in Oil & Gas and Mining & Metals

Our experience in sectors like Oil and Gas, and Mining and Metals, highlights this perfectly. While some projects, unfortunately, didn't progress beyond the "Didn't go to execute" stage in Co-create, the ones that did succeed laid robust foundations here.

Key Elements of a Successful Co-Create Phase:

1. Data-Driven Decisions: Focus on gathering data to validate business claims and drive strategic decisions. This might not be "code," but it's essential "information architecture."
2. Management Support: Getting buy-in and support from management is crucial for accessing necessary data and resources.
3. Visible Progress: Clients need to see progress from day one. This isn't just about code; it's about demonstrating understanding, analysis, and a clear path forward.
4. Effective Communication: Excellent presentations to stakeholders, physical stand-ups, and even publicly displayed sprint boards (think large paper sheets and sticky notes in a high-traffic area) are vital for advertising progress and gathering early feedback.
5. Location, Location, Location: Think strategically about where you present and display physical artifacts to maximize visibility and engagement.

Establishing the Vision: Getting Ready to Build

The ultimate goal of Co-create is establishing and validating a vision for a solution and getting ready to start building. It's about moving from raw ideas to a clear, prioritized roadmap, ensuring everyone is aligned before a single line of production-ready code is written.

From Co-create to Co-execute: The Payoff

When Co-create is done well, the transition to "Co-execute" (where we do get to code!) becomes much smoother and more impactful. For example, our experience with Power Apps in Oil and Gas showed how quickly concepts could be proven and investments justified when the initial groundwork was solid.

• "Able to quickly prove the concept with an external Azure Domain."
• "Able to confirm the code works."
• "Able to justify further investment by weekly presentations on how it will work."

These successes stemmed directly from the insights gained in Co-create, allowing for focused and valuable development.

Embracing the Journey

For developers, embracing the Co-create phase means shifting our mindset from "builders" to "problem-solvers" and "opportunity-finders." It might feel less like coding and more like detective work, but it's this investigative rigor that ensures our efforts in the execution phase are targeted, valuable, and ultimately, successful. Getting a badge in "essentials" or similar foundational understanding can significantly help bridge this gap.

So, the next time you find yourself itching to code in the Co-create phase, remember: you're not just delaying gratification. You're building a stronger foundation for a solution that will truly resonate and deliver significant business value.