In an environment where every decision can impact thousands of human journeys, the Discovery role emerges as a critical tool for aligning vision, needs, and strategy.
I had the opportunity to interview Toni Vicens, Discovery Manager at Air Europa, and gain a close-up view of how a highly regulated and operationally complex industry like commercial aviation tackles the challenges of digital product design. This conversation reveals how critical thinking, empathy, and collaboration become the true engines of innovation.
From the Call Centre to Discovery: Empathy as a Starting Point
Toni joined Air Europa nearly 25 years ago. "I started in the call centre, in customer service, back when physical tickets were still posted to your door," he recalls. This starting point made all the difference: his knowledge does not come solely from the digital environment, but from direct contact with real users.
Active listening and the ability to interpret what goes unsaid were foundational lessons. "That grounding — knowing the product from both sides — really helps you understand what you're doing." This background is reflected today in his user-centred approach, not as a trend, but as a deep conviction.
What Does a Discovery Manager Actually Do?
The short answer, according to Toni, is: "Discovery isn't something I do alone — we all do it together." The long answer involves navigating uncertainty, coordinating teams, and identifying opportunities before they become problems. At Air Europa, separating Discovery from Delivery was a turning point: "We split into two branches. Discovery identifies opportunities; Delivery executes with a focus on feasibility."
Rather than following instructions handed down from "on high," the team now practises a culture of informed decision-making, where any initiative first goes through an analysis of its technical, operational, and strategic impact. "Knowing when to say no is a win. It saves us from wasting resources and forces us to prioritise with clear criteria."
When You're Not Selling T-Shirts: Designing for Complex Systems
"The customer journey begins when they decide to travel and ends when they get back home. We're not selling t-shirts," Toni stresses. The airline product is an extended experience, subject to factors beyond direct control: weather, regulations, airports.
This complexity demands a systemic design approach. "Fitting that journey into a traditional e-commerce flow is practically impossible." The solution lies in collaborative planning: "We involve all stakeholders from the very beginning to identify friction points and opportunities."
Methods and Rhythms: Discovery Architecture in Practice
Air Europa operates on quarterly cycles. "We have a strategic roadmap through to 2027, but we only plan one quarter at a time," he explains. This structure allows them to stay focused without losing flexibility.
In methodological terms, agile tools are combined with iterative prototyping, market benchmarking, post-interaction surveys, moderated interviews, and quantitative analysis of behaviour across web and app.
The Maturity to Say No
One point Toni raises several times is the value of discarding ideas early. "It gets easier and easier for me to say no — and I enjoy it more and more," he says. This attitude does not stem from scepticism, but from experience: "We have hundreds of ideas in the backlog. But if a proposal doesn't demonstrate value, it doesn't get implemented. No matter how much we love it."
This strategic maturity allows Discovery to move beyond being an idea factory and become a discipline that balances inspiration with sound judgement.
Artificial Intelligence as a Co-pilot
The future of Discovery, according to Toni, cannot ignore the impact of artificial intelligence. "It helps us estimate impact, run benchmarking exercises, and detect behavioural patterns. It's a tool for making better decisions, not an end in itself."
Air Europa is also already incorporating it into digital channels to improve the customer experience, reducing friction and increasing personalisation.
Advice for Those Who Want to Work in Discovery
For Toni, the key skills for anyone aspiring to a Discovery role are clear: "Empathy, critical thinking, and analytical ability." But he also mentions something less tangible: a questioning mindset.
"Discovery isn't about having all the answers — it's about asking the right questions. And sometimes those questions are uncomfortable." He also highlights the importance of avoiding dogma: "Being at a company for 20 years doesn't mean you're right. It gives you context. But you have to keep unlearning, constantly."
3 Key Learnings from the Discovery Manager Role
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Saying no is also moving forward.
"Knowing when to say no is a win. It means avoiding wasted effort and making space for what's truly valuable." -
Validation kills assumption.
"We can't rely on assumptions. No matter how much context we have, we need to validate with data and with users." -
Discovery is collective.
"Discovery is not an isolated role.
It requires cross-functional collaboration and systemic thinking. Nobody innovates alone."
An Invitation to Reflect
Toni Vicens's experience reminds us that in complex environments, the urgent can easily eclipse the important. In that context, Discovery is not a methodological luxury — it is a strategic necessity. It is the practice of slowing down before speeding up, of understanding before designing.
"Discovery must become a decision-support tool, not just a product discovery exercise," he concludes. And perhaps that is the greatest lesson: that in design, as in aviation, what matters is not just taking off, but being clear about where we're going and why.
If you'd like to learn more about Product Discovery, we have a great course for your team — you can find all the details here.
