“We need a dashboard” can begin an analytics project. It does not yet define one. Before discussing charts or tags, find out which decision the client cannot make and what prevents it. A useful discovery call ends with a brief that both sides understand: the problem, the first deliverable, the limits and the people needed to move forward.
Start with the decision behind the request
Ask what prompted the conversation now. Is a budget decision approaching, does sales distrust the lead report, or has a website change created uncertainty? Then ask who will act on the answer and what choices are available. A report for a weekly sales meeting needs a different scope from an investigation of a payment failure. Agree on the purpose before discussing a preferred tool.
Prepare a short agenda around the problem, current evidence, constraints and next decision. Invite the person who owns that decision. If another team controls the relevant data or website release, identify its owner during the call. You do not need every specialist in the first meeting, but you do need a way to resolve questions outside the attendees’ authority.
For wider commissioning context, Jan Řezáč’s Web ostrý jako břitva is presented by its publisher for both website clients and creators. That broader planning context matters when an analytics request is part of a new website project. Clarify which decisions belong to this assignment and which require the wider project team.
Walk through a recent decision, not an ideal process
Ask the client to describe the last time they faced the decision: what they checked, where the numbers came from and what remained unclear. Request a demonstration of the report or workflow where practical. Follow a specific example from enquiry to sales outcome rather than accepting “the CRM is unreliable” as a complete diagnosis. Separate what someone observed from what they think caused it.
