Cisco Solution Lifecycle Discovery Phase Deliverables
Short answer
E The business case is the critical discovery-phase deliverable that establishes strategic justification, ROI, and stakeholder alignment to build the customer's project platform.
Question
Key Takeaways
The trap is confusing technical design documents (HLD/DLD) or validation reports (POV) with the strategic justification tool (Business Case) required to secure executive support during discovery.
In Cisco's solution lifecycle, the business case (E) is the essential discovery-phase output that justifies the project and builds the customer's platform by aligning technical needs with business value.
Common mistake: Candidates often select D (POV report) thinking it represents the initial insights gained. However, a Point of View does not provide the financial and operational justification (ROI/TCO) that constitutes the 'platform' for moving forward.
Expert Analysis
The question asks which deliverable helps build the customer's platform during the discovery phase. This terminology is specific to Cisco’s Solution Lifecycle (often referenced in CCNP/CCIE Enterprise Infrastructure design contexts), not standard Layer 3 routing protocols like OSPF or BGP.
In Cisco’s methodology, the Discovery phase focuses on understanding the current state and defining the future vision. The key output that establishes the strategic justification and aligns stakeholders is the Business Case. As noted in the comments, the business case quantifies benefits, ROI, and TCO, providing the necessary executive sponsorship to proceed. It builds the 'platform' of support for the project.
Let's evaluate the options:
- A. Detailed design: This occurs later, after High-Level Design (HLD) approval. It is too granular for the discovery phase.
- B. High-level design: This is typically produced after the initial discovery and requirements gathering, often as part of the Proposal or Early Design phase, to outline the solution architecture. While related, it doesn't 'build the platform' of justification as directly as the business case.
- C. PO: Likely refers to Purchase Order or Point of Origin. A PO is a commercial document issued later in the procurement process, not a discovery deliverable.
- D. POV report: Comments suggest this might be 'Point of View' or 'Proof of Value'. While a 'Point of View' document might exist, the standard Cisco lifecycle artifact that drives the decision to build the platform (justification/funding) is the Business Case. Proof of Value is usually a validation step, not the foundational builder.
- E. Business case: This is the correct answer. It defines the problem, goals, benefits, and justification. It secures the internal support ('platform') needed to move from discovery to design.
The common mistake is selecting D (POV report) because 'Point of View' sounds like an insight document created early. However, without the financial and strategic justification of a Business Case, there is no 'platform' to build upon.
Exam Strategy
When encountering questions about 'phases' in enterprise design exams, map each phase to its primary objective: Discovery = Understanding & Justification; Design = Architecture; Implementation = Deployment. Look for keywords like 'justify', 'sponsorship', 'ROI', or 'alignment' to identify the Business Case as the key deliverable.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between a Business Case and a High-Level Design?
Is a POV report used in the discovery phase?
Community Votes
66% of anonymous learners picked answer E. Votes are pick records left by other test-takers — they are not the verified answer.
Discussion 7 contributions
Compiled from public community threads and reader submissions, lightly edited for clarity. Handles and vote tallies are shown as recorded, and comments reflect the views of individual contributors.
From public community threads 7
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12504a3 👍 4 Answered EI think which is important here is to understand what does "customers platform" means. => "customer's platform" refers to the strategy that supports the customer's needs and goals. It is essentially the base upon which the proposed solution will be built and aligned during the discovery phase. This includes understanding the customer's current infrastructure, business objectives, and requirements to ensure the solution fits well within their overall platform. A. detailed design => This is obviously too soon for a discovery phase B. high-level design => It comes later, when goals are defined C. PO => PO means Purchase Order, one of the final step before the sale D. POV report => POV means Proof of Value, which is a demonstration of the products based on the business goals defined by customer E. business case => To me this is the first step in a discovery phase, without the business case in mind you will hit the wall very hard
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LionFifty 👍 3 Answered EIn the discovery phase of a network design project, the primary goal is to understand the customer’s business, technical, and operational requirements. The business case helps define why the project is being considered in the first place by outlining the problems, goals, benefits, and justification for moving forward. Answer: Business Case
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Cispro 👍 3 Answered DA POV (Point of View) report is typically created during the discovery phase of a project.
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NoHombre 👍 2 Answered EIt's E In Cisco’s solution lifecycle, the discovery phase is about understanding the customer’s goals, constraints, stakeholders, and success criteria, and translating those into value. The key output that “helps build your customer’s platform” (i.e., internal support and justification for moving forward) is a business case: it quantifies benefits (cost savings, risk reduction, user experience, agility), aligns to KPIs, and frames budget/timeline. This is what your champion uses to rally stakeholders early.
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lucky12321 👍 2I would suspect that POV stands for Proof of Value here
Show 2 more comments
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G_Singh12 👍 1 Answered EBuilding a robust business case during discovery helps establish the strategic, economic, and operational justification for the project. It outlines the return on investment (ROI) and total cost of ownership (TCO), which secures the necessary executive sponsorship to justify creating a new platform architecture.
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cybman76 👍 1 Answered Bi tink is B
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