Process
A development process you can follow, question and change.
Six stages from first conversation to ongoing support, with what you receive and what we need from you at each one.
The six stages
1. Discovery
We learn your business, users, data and existing systems, and list the risks and unknowns.
2. Scope
We agree a first release, what is out of scope, and an estimate range with assumptions.
3. Design
Flows, structure and key screens are designed and tested with representative users.
4. Build in slices
Weekly increments are deployed to a staging environment you can use and comment on.
5. Launch
Migration, testing, monitoring and training are done before and during go-live.
6. Support
Maintenance, fixes and further releases under an agreed arrangement.
Typical durations by stage
Typical durations for this kind of work. Real timing depends on scope, integrations and how quickly decisions are made. Small projects are shorter, and complex integrations take longer.
Discovery and scope
1 to 4 weeks
Output: written scope, risks and estimate range.
Design
2 to 5 weeks
Output: tested flows and a design system foundation.
Build
4 to 20 weeks
Output: working software in regular slices.
Launch
1 to 4 weeks
Output: live system, monitoring and handover.
Principles we apply throughout
Visible progress
You can see and use the work, rather than reading status reports.
Early risk handling
The hardest or most uncertain part is tackled first.
Written decisions
Scope changes and technical decisions are recorded.
Tests and automation
Critical flows are tested and releases are repeatable.
Process questions
What do you need from us?
Access to the people who know the process, timely feedback on each slice, and decisions when trade-offs arise. Delays in decisions are the most common cause of schedule slips.
How do you handle changes during the project?
Changes are expected. We note the effect on scope and timing and let you decide. Because we ship in small slices, changing direction is relatively inexpensive.
Do you work in fixed-price or time-and-materials?
It depends on how well-defined the work is. Clear first releases can be estimated as a range, while exploratory work is better run on a time-boxed basis. We explain the options at scoping.
What happens after launch?
We can monitor, maintain and extend the system, or hand it over with documentation. It is your choice.
Start with a short description
Tell us about the project, the systems involved and your timing. We will reply with questions and a proposed first step.