Requirements first. Delivery second. Iteration built in.
Same method, whether the engagement is strategy, cloud, or custom software.
1. Interview
Every engagement starts with a structured discovery — as many sessions as the situation calls for, with the owner and whoever runs the affected part of the business. We're listening for what's actually going on, not just what's being asked for. Most projects fail because the wrong thing got built; this is where we make sure that doesn't happen.
2. Requirements
We translate the interview into appropriate discovery documentation — plain language, right-sized to the engagement, no jargon. Format and depth depend on the type of work and what the client, team, and leadership need to align on. You sign off. That output becomes the reference point for everything that follows. If we can't articulate what's needed clearly, the project isn't ready to build.
3. Build
Depending on the engagement, this looks like a strategy deliverable, an AWS deployment, custom software, or a mix. Modern tools mean this phase moves at speeds traditional development timelines can't match. We work in short cycles with visible progress; you're not left waiting.
4. Iterate
Real users touch what we build during the engagement, not after. We watch what they actually do, adjust, and ship again. Iteration is included in every engagement — not billed separately as "phase two."
How we price
Fixed fee where scope allows. Retainer where ongoing work makes more sense. No billable hours, no surprise change orders. The scope of work document names the number and what's included; if the scope changes, we agree on a new number in writing before continuing.
What a first engagement usually looks like
A scoped paid discovery — fixed fee, sized to the situation. At the end you get a clear picture of where the leverage is, a proposal for the follow-on work if it makes sense, and no obligation to continue. Sometimes the discovery is the whole engagement; sometimes it's the start of a longer term relationship.