> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://playbooks.equalexperts.com/inceptions/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://playbooks.equalexperts.com/inceptions/introduction/whats-the-outcome-of-an-inception.md). # What’s the outcome of an Inception? **KNOWING WHAT TO DO NEXT AND BEING SET UP TO DO IT** An inception answers the following questions: * What must we achieve, and why? * Do we agree that this is a good thing to do? * How will we achieve this? * How long will it take and how much will it cost? * What could possibly go wrong? * What will we do next (and then in the mid / long term)? * What do we need in place to start In answering these questions, we create a range of deliverables. These help us with **making the call** on whether to continue, and if so, how we can **hit the ground** running. > ### *Inceptions are not anti-agile. We often need a light plan to enable the team to know what to do next. The plan and costs also empower our clients with data to make better- informed decisions.* **MAKING THE CALL: SHOULD WE CONTINUE?** A successful inception will give us enough insight to make a decision on whether to: 1. **Continue with the initiative:** Where we decide to continue, an inception results in a statement of the problem and solution, as well as the delivery approach and plan. 2. **Pivot**:When we decide to pivot, we may need to run a discovery to validate the new problem statement, and then run a lighter inception to de-risk delivery. 3. **Stop**: This can often be hard due to the sunk cost fallacy, or good old politics. But sometimes, this is the right thing to do. When we decide to stop, it’s a good idea to provide a bit of space for the team to process the implications. **IF WE CONTINUE: HIT THE GROUND RUNNING** If we decide that the right thing to do is to continue with delivery, we will generally create deliverables covering the: * **Goals and scope -** What we will do and why * **Solution approach -** What the solution will ‘look like’ and how we will deliver, covering functional and technological aspects, as well as processes and ways of working * **Risks and dependencies -** Where to be careful * **Plan and cost -** An overview of when to expect what, and the required capabilities and resources * **Playback deck -** A summary of findings and recommendations These deliverables will be reasonably high level with just enough detail to make the call and shape the overall delivery. There is often more detail for the very first iteration so we can hit the ground running. {% hint style="info" %} The next page has an overview of some typical deliverables. {% endhint %} --- # Agent Instructions This documentation is published with GitBook. GitBook is the documentation platform designed so that both humans and AI agents can read, navigate, and reason over technical content effectively. Learn more at gitbook.com. ## Querying This Documentation If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question. Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter, and the optional `goal` query parameter: ``` GET https://playbooks.equalexperts.com/inceptions/introduction/whats-the-outcome-of-an-inception.md?ask=&goal= ``` `ask` is the immediate question: it should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language. `goal` is optional and describes the broader end goal you are ultimately trying to accomplish on behalf of the user. GitBook uses it to tailor the answer towards what is most useful for that goal. The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation. Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.