Discovery output isn't one document; it's a package.
Core deliverables:
1. Solution Design Document (SDD):
The master architectural blueprint. Sections: executive summary, current state, future state, requirements, data model, security model, automation, integrations, data migration, reporting, project plan, risks, out of scope.
2. Stakeholder Map:
Who's involved, their interest/influence, engagement plan. Power vs Interest grid plus per-person details.
3. Process Maps:
Current-state and future-state for each affected process. BPMN, swim-lane, or simple flowcharts. Visual.
4. Requirements Catalogue:
Numbered, traceable requirements. Each tagged: functional / non-functional, priority (must/should/could/won't — MoSCoW), source, target Salesforce feature.
5. Data Model / ERD:
Entity Relationship Diagram showing objects, relationships, key fields. Visual diagram + supporting field-level details.
6. Integration Architecture:
For each integration: source, destination, direction, frequency, transformation, technology, ownership, SLA.
7. Security Model:
Sharing model design (OWD per object, role hierarchy approach, sharing rules patterns), profile/permission set strategy, FLS approach for sensitive data.
8. Project Plan:
Phases, milestones, dependencies, resource plan. Gantt or similar.
9. Risk Register:
Risks with probability, impact, mitigation, contingency, owner.
10. Roadmap (3-year):
Beyond Phase 1, what's the longer-term direction.
11. Stakeholder Decision Log:
Significant decisions with rationale and approver. Foundation for "why was that done this way" later.
Format:
- Word / Confluence for textual content.
- Lucidchart / Miro for visual diagrams.
- Excel / Smartsheet for requirements and risks.
- Project plan — Smartsheet, MS Project, Jira.
Quality bar:
- Specific, observable, testable requirements.
- Diagrams reviewed by architect for technical correctness.
- Out-of-scope explicitly listed — protects against scope creep.
- Sign-off captured from sponsor.
Review cycle:
- Deliverable goes to sponsor + key stakeholders.
- Comment / question period (1-2 weeks).
- Final review meeting.
- Sign-off as the gate to Build.
A senior consultant's Discovery package is a portfolio piece — clients keep referring to it through Build, UAT, and post-launch.