How we work
How a project runs with us
Most providers keep their process vague, because vagueness leaves room to manoeuvre. We set ours out in the open — including what we need from you and what can make a project fail with us.
Four phases
You can stop after any phase. That is meant seriously and it is written into the contract.
Intro call
30 minutes · free
You describe what you have in mind, we ask questions. At the end we tell you whether we are the right fit and roughly what scale this sits at.
- What you contribute
- A description of the problem — not a finished concept.
- What you receive
- An honest assessment and a rough order of magnitude for effort and duration.
Discovery phase
1–3 weeks · fixed price
We look at your workflow, talk to the people who work with it, and write down what the system has to do. Out of that come a system outline, an effort estimate and a binding quote.
- What you contribute
- Access to the people involved and to existing systems, usually across two or three sessions.
- What you receive
- Requirements document, system outline and fixed-price quote. The output is yours — even if you go on to build it elsewhere.
Delivery
two-week cycles
We build in fixed cycles. Each cycle ends with a working version you can open and try — not a progress bar in a presentation.
- What you contribute
- Half an hour every two weeks for review and feedback.
- What you receive
- A usable version every two weeks plus a status report covering what is done, what is next and where it is stuck.
Operation and further development
ongoing or on call
After handover we keep looking after the system — or your IT takes it on. Both are designed for, so the decision does not force a rebuild.
- What you contribute
- A decision about who operates the system going forward.
- What you receive
- Source code, documentation, operations manual and training for your team.
Working principles
Four principles the process rests on
Less methodology vocabulary, more things that actually make a difference day to day.
Bad news arrives early
If a date will not hold or an assumption turns out wrong, you hear it in the next status report — not shortly before handover. That is uncomfortable, and it saves money.
You always speak to the same person
No ticket queue as first contact, no rotating team. The person accountable for the project knows the state of it without looking it up.
We build only what is needed
Every feature nobody uses still has to be maintained. When in doubt we ask rather than build pre-emptively.
No lock-in
Source code, data and documentation are yours. We keep clients through quality, not dependency.
Cost
How the price comes together
We deliberately do not list package prices, because for custom development they are either meaningless or dishonest. Instead, here is the model behind it:
Fixed price for discovery
The amount is fixed before we start and is credited in full against the project when you go ahead. So you do not pay twice for continuing.
Delivery as fixed price or time and materials
If the goal is clearly bounded after discovery, we quote a fixed price. For work that sharpens as it goes, time and materials with an agreed cap is usually fairer for both sides.
Operation as a monthly fee
Hosting, maintenance and an agreed allowance of hours for smaller adjustments. Predictable rather than surprising.
No licence fees to us
You pay for development and operation — not a recurring fee for permission to use your own software.
We will give you a concrete order of magnitude for your project in the intro call — before any costs arise.
Common questions
Questions about the process
Why is the discovery phase paid?
Because it is real work: we analyse your workflow, examine existing systems and design a solution. A free concept would either be superficial or have to be cross-subsidised through the project price — which means paying clients fund the non-committal enquiries. We find the transparent version fairer. And because the amount is credited, the phase ends up costing you nothing if you proceed.
What if requirements change during delivery?
That is the normal case, not the exception — which is exactly why we work in two-week cycles. Smaller changes are absorbed within the agreed scope. Larger ones we assess together: what does it cost, what moves, and is it worth it? You decide, we show the maths.
How long does a typical project take?
From discovery to first live use is usually two to four months for smaller applications and correspondingly longer for larger systems. The first usable version arrives well before the finished product — that is the point of the cycles.
What makes projects fail with you?
Two things, and both are visible in advance. First: if nobody internally has time to answer questions and review versions, everything slows down — we need roughly half an hour every two weeks. Second: if there is no internal agreement about what the system is actually meant to do. We settle both before signing, because they get expensive later.
Can we stop the project partway?
Yes. You can stop after any phase and at the end of any cycle. You receive everything built to that point including source code, and you pay only for work delivered. We do not hold anyone through notice periods.
Let us start with the intro call
Thirty minutes, free of charge. Afterwards you will know whether the next step is worth taking — and so will we.