Services · How we engage
Engagement models.
Discovery, delivery and stewardship — structured around the decision, the risk and the level of certainty available.
Buy the right shape of work, not just the hours.
The same group can produce very different outcomes under different commercial models. A fixed-price engagement encourages a precise scope; a time-and-materials engagement encourages learning; a retainer encourages continuity. None is universally better.
We choose the model after the problem is understood. If the scope is clear and the risk is well bounded, a fixed price can be appropriate. If the work is exploratory, a capped time-and-materials approach is more honest. If the need is ongoing judgement and support, a retainer is usually the most efficient structure.
The wrong model creates the wrong behaviour. A fixed price on an undefined problem produces change requests; an open-ended engagement without governance produces drift. The commercial structure should make the desired behaviour easier.
Discovery, delivery and stewardship.
Most engagements start with one model and move into another as certainty increases.
Define the problem before committing to the build.
A focused two-to-four week engagement to clarify the operating problem, assess the current state, define the target architecture and produce a costed delivery plan.
Best for
A new initiative, an unclear legacy problem, a major vendor decision or a programme that has lost its technical direction. The output is a decision pack, not a slide deck.
Deliver a defined outcome in controlled increments.
A scoped build or migration with a named architecture, delivery plan, acceptance criteria and regular demonstrations. Typically eight to twenty-four weeks.
Best for
A defined platform, application, integration or migration where the outcome and constraints are understood well enough to plan. Change is governed, not avoided.
Keep independent judgement close to the system.
A monthly allocation of senior technical time for architecture advice, review, support and incremental improvement. Typically three to twelve months.
Best for
Live systems that need an accountable technical owner, internal capabilitys that need a senior perspective, or organisations managing a complex vendor landscape.
How we quote and manage cost.
We provide a written quote after enough discovery to understand the work. The quote states the scope, assumptions, exclusions, dependencies, payment milestones and the conditions that would change the price. It is written to be compared, not to be interpreted later.
Fixed price
Used when the scope is sufficiently defined and the risk can be bounded. It gives budget certainty but requires discipline in change control. We do not use a fixed price to win work by understating the scope.
Capped time and materials
Used when the work is exploratory or the scope cannot be responsibly fixed. The cap provides budget protection; the rate and time recording provide transparency. Progress is reviewed against a plan, not an open-ended clock.
Monthly retainer
Used for ongoing support and advice. The retainer defines the allocation, response expectations and carry-over rules. Work beyond the allocation is agreed before it is performed.
What is included
Architecture, delivery, testing, documentation and handover are included in the scope. Third-party licences, hosting, travel and specialist services are identified separately. We do not hide a necessary cost in a contingency line.
A simple decision guide.
If the problem is still unclear, start with discovery. If the outcome is defined but not built, choose delivery. If the system is live and needs stewardship, choose a retainer.
We have a fixed budget and an unclear scope. What now?
Start with a discovery sprint sized to the budget. It will either produce a scope that can be delivered for the remaining budget or show that the budget and outcome are not compatible. Both answers are useful.
Can you provide a fixed price without discovery?
We can provide an indicative range, but not a responsible fixed price. A fixed price without understanding the domain, integrations and constraints is a commercial guess that usually becomes a change request.
Do you work with internal capabilitys?
Yes. We can lead, work alongside or review an internal capability. The engagement defines who owns which decisions and how work is handed over.
What is the minimum engagement?
A focused architecture review or discovery sprint can be delivered in one to two weeks. Ongoing support is usually structured in monthly blocks.
Commercial mistakes we try to avoid.
Most commercial disputes in software delivery begin before the contract is signed. The scope is described in outcomes that cannot be measured, the assumptions are left implicit, or the price is used to resolve a disagreement that should have been a design conversation.
- Quoting a fixed price before the domain, integrations and constraints are understood.
- Treating a change request as a failure rather than a normal part of learning.
- Hiding necessary work in a contingency line instead of making it visible.
- Measuring progress by effort consumed rather than capability delivered.
We would rather have an uncomfortable scoping conversation at the start than a commercial argument at the end. The engagement model should make the work visible, the risk shared and the decision to continue or stop explicit at each stage.
Choose a model that fits the decision.
Tell us what you are trying to decide. We will recommend the engagement shape and provide a written quote.