Ever felt stuck in the same old brainstorming rut? Or watched your team circle the same assumptions without uncovering anything truly unexpected? Ryan Brook and I have created the 72 Discovery Tactics Card Deck as part of our upcoming book titled The Anatomy of a Product. It’s designed to kickstart fresh thinking, challenge your biases, and surface insights you never knew were hiding in plain sight. Whether you’re a seasoned Product Owner or just diving into product discovery, these cards are here to make every session more playful and infinitely more productive.
What’s Inside the Deck?
Your deck is divided into six dynamic themes, each packed with 12 tactics that approach discovery from a totally different angle:
Challenging Assumptions
Break through outdated thinking by imagining failure, absurdity, or even tackling the wrong problem on purpose.Designing for Extremes
Solve for impatience, extreme limitations, or the quirkiest of user personas. Because if it works there, it works everywhere.Creative Reframing
Twist and turn your problem into a sound, a story, or an unexpected artifact to see entirely new possibilities.Prototyping & Experimentation
Forget flawless mockups. Start with the messiest, smallest, or silliest prototype you can imagine.User-Experience Centricity
Focus on what truly matters to users: delete boredom, reduce friction, and highlight patterns and narratives.Rethinking Priorities
Flip timelines, ignore “sacred” feedback, redefine success criteria, or rewrite the rules altogether.
How to Use Your Deck
Follow these six easy steps to turn a simple card draw into a breakthrough moment:
1. Shuffle the Deck
Creativity loves randomness. Give those cards a good shuffle and clear your mind of expectations.
2. Roll the Purple Dice
No shuffle? No problem. Roll the two purple dice, add up the eyes, and pick that numbered card from a face-down stack. (Roll a 7? Grab card number 7!)
3. Draw a Card
Read the prompt aloud, solo or with your team, and let it guide you. If it doesn’t spark anything, draw again! Sometimes the magic is hidden just a card away.
From Challenging Assumptions: “Pretend this idea has already failed. Why did it crash and burn?”
From Designing for Extremes: “What would this look like as a children’s toy?”
From Prototyping & Experimentation: “Build the ugliest, most imperfect version first.”
4. Take Action
Don’t just read; do it right then and there. Sketch, role-play, prototype, or debate. The goal isn’t perfection; it’s fresh perspectives.
5. Collaborate & Discuss
Deploy the deck in your next workshop or sprint kickoff. Have each participant draw a card, share insights, and riff off one another. You’ll be amazed at how a single prompt can ignite a torrent of ideas.
Tip: Use the deck as a structured icebreaker or timed exercise to power up problem-solving sessions.
6. Remix & Repeat
Feeling adventurous? Draw two or three cards and mash up their prompts. Combine “Design for impatience” with some other cads and watch new concepts emerge.
When to Pull Out the Cards
You can use these cards anytime. However, they work wonders when you’re:
Starting a brand-new project
Facing a gnarly UX challenge
Trying to shake stale ideas loose
Sparking energy in weekly team meetings
Looking for a bit of fun and exploration
Why This Deck Supports Your Workshops
Portable Creativity: Tear the deck out of your bag anytime inspiration is needed.
Inclusive Play: Perfect for solo deep-dives or dynamic team workshops.
Endless Replay Value: With 72 unique prompts, each session feels like a brand-new experience.
Concrete Outcomes: Every card comes with an actionable directive. No more “So now what?” moments.
Ready to Discover Something New?
If you want to grab your copy of this deck, reach out to us! Shuffle, roll, draw, and dive into the unexpected with the 72 Discovery Tactics Card Deck.