How we work
Understand it. Find a way. Build it well. The same four stages apply to a small website and to a complex system. What changes is how much each one needs.
Stage 1: Start with the problem
First, whether we should work together
Every enquiry starts with a free initial evaluation: a conversation and a basic look at the problem. We want to understand the goal, the constraints and what a good outcome would be.
We take on work where we can make a real difference, and decline work where we cannot. If we are not the right fit, we say so early and, where we can, suggest a better direction.
What is free, and what is scoped work
Free initial evaluation
Where every enquiry starts.
- A conversation about the problem and your goals
- A basic assessment of feasibility and fit
- An outline of sensible next steps
It does not include
- A detailed audit of code or systems
- Architecture, designs or prototypes
- A comprehensive written recommendation
Paid discovery
Scoped and priced with you before it starts. It can include:
- Technical audits of existing code and systems
- Requirements and architecture work
- Prototypes that test a risky assumption
- Detailed recommendations, estimates and a delivery plan
Stage 2: Make the path clear
Then, an agreed scope
Before building, we agree what is being built, what is not, how we will know it works and what it will cost. For a straightforward project this can be a short written scope.
For complex work, discovery comes first, so the plan rests on evidence instead of assumptions. Discovery is paid work with its own scope and price, agreed before it starts.
- Scope
- What is included, and what is deliberately left out.
- Acceptance
- How we will both know the work is done.
- Constraints
- Budget, deadlines, existing systems and any obligations you work under.
- Risks
- What is uncertain, and how we plan to reduce it.
Stage 3: Build and validate
Build in the open, test against what was agreed
We build in increments you can see and try, test against the agreed requirements and keep you informed in plain language.
When something turns out harder than expected, you hear it from us, with options. Surprises are easier to deal with early.
- Working software early
- You see real progress, not only status reports.
- Testing in proportion to risk
- The parts that matter most to your business get the most scrutiny.
- Progress you can follow
- Updates explain what was done, what is next and what needs a decision from you.
- Changes handled openly
- New ideas and shifting priorities are normal. We assess the effect on scope, cost and timing, and agree before proceeding.
Stage 4: Plan what comes next
Finished means you can run it
A project is finished when you can run what we built. Handover covers what was agreed for the engagement, typically the code, access, documentation and what your team needs to know to maintain it.
Ongoing improvement or support is available where it makes sense. It is agreed explicitly as part of the engagement, with its own scope.
Human judgement, with AI as a tool
We use AI in our own work and in what we build for clients. It widens what is practical, and it works best alongside what it cannot replace: understanding the problem, sound engineering and responsibility for the result.
In our own work
We use AI tools in design and development where they help us explore more options, move faster and check more thoroughly.
In what we build for clients
We build AI into products and workflows where it does a job better than the alternatives: handling documents, finding answers in internal knowledge or taking over repetitive steps.
How we keep it useful
- The right tool for the task
- Sometimes that is an AI model, sometimes a simpler conventional solution. We recommend whichever does the job best.
- People review the output
- Code, content and analysis produced with AI are checked and tested by a person who remains responsible for them.
- Your data, on agreed terms
- Before client data reaches an AI service, we agree what may be used, where and how.
- Judged on results
- AI features are evaluated on quality, cost and how they run day to day, against measures agreed up front.
Start with the problem.
Tell us what you are trying to solve. The free initial evaluation is a conversation and a basic assessment of whether, and how, we could help.
Let's figure it out