Figure 2-2. The four tenets of UX strategy represented as plates at the dinner table My formula is this: UX Strategy = Business Strategy + Value Innovation + Validated User Research + Killer UX Design. These are the four tenets that make up my framework. I have seen them in play every day since my first discovery phase. It’s not enough to understand your marketplace if you don’t talk directly to your customers. It’s not enough to validate that your product works if you’re not creating something unique. Good enough just isn’t good enough, and just identifying these tenets won’t be enough to get your team flying. You’ll need to understand how they interact and affect one another. Then, the real trick will be to keep all four of these tenet “plates” spinning in the air while you move through the techniques and tools in the subsequent chapters. LESSONS LEARNED The discovery phase is where UX strategy begins. UX strategy is based on four tenets: business strategy, value innovation, validated user research, and killer UX design. The output of the discovery phase should be based on empirical data, such as getting direct input