From Idea to Impact: The Nine Steps of Use Case Evaluation

Innovation doesn’t happen by accident. In her book Digitized Product Management, strategist Agathe Daae-Qvale offers a structured, field-tested method for turning raw ideas into validated, scalable digital solutions.

Team members collaborate in a high-tech environment to analyze data and solve complex problems.

This nine-step framework helps organizations think clearly, align across teams, and build solutions that actually solve problems.

Over the past weeks, we’ve explored each of these steps through detailed posts from Agathe’s newsroom. Here’s a final recap—your roadmap to smarter innovation.

The Nine Steps of Use Case Evaluation (click on each of the nine steps to learn more)

1. Problem

   Identify a real, human problem—not just a technical one. If it doesn't matter to someone, it won't matter to the business.
   

2. Data

   Find the right data to support the use case—but make sure it serves the problem, not the other way around.
   

3. Value

   Clarify your value hypothesis early. What’s the outcome, and who cares?
   

4. Skillsets of Stakeholders

   Map out which people and roles are affected—and involve them from the start.
   

5. Process

   Understand what is flowing: data, tasks, or services—and where the bottlenecks or friction points exist.
   

6. Scalability

   Can the use case grow across geographies, systems, or product lines? If not, reframe it.
   

7. Replicability

   The best use cases can be adapted and reused—not just run once. Consider its potential beyond the pilot.
   

8. Visibility

   Is the use case clearly understood by decision-makers and teams? Make it accessible, explainable, and aligned with business context.
   

9. Development Required

   Be honest: What does it really take to build this? Evaluate tools, timelines, and organizational readiness before going all in.
   

Why This Framework Matters

Too often, teams leap from idea to execution without a map. Agathe Daae-Qvale’s nine steps provide that map—bridging the gap between data, ambition, and business value.

“Use cases are how we connect ideas to outcomes,” she writes. “They bring digital ambition down to earth—and help it take flight.”

Ready to use the full framework in your organization?

Explore the details inside Digitized Product Management and take your digital strategy from theory to traction.