Understand
Before deciding what to build, we learn how the work actually gets done. We measure where things stand today and agree the KPIs this software should move.
Services
Consulting, requirements and technical due diligence
What to build, who should build it, and whether the system you have is sound. We help with the decisions around development, drawing on our experience as builders. Workflow analysis, requirements and RFPs, project and product management, technical due diligence: hire us for any single step.
Who this is for
- You haven't yet worked out what the system should solve
- You need an RFP or requirements document to put out to vendors
- You want someone on the client side of a project already under way
- You need to assess a company's systems and engineering before investing or acquiring
- You want an independent check on the quality of software another vendor is building
Common problems
Ordering before the requirements are clear
Quotes are taken before needs are pinned down, and extra cost and rework follow.
Proposals you can't evaluate
Without the technical background to judge proposals, you can't compare or negotiate.
No real view of the project
There is no way to check whether progress and quality reports match reality.
Deciding without seeing the risk
Investments, acquisitions and system renewals are decided without understanding the technical risk.
What we deliver
Workflow analysis and baseline
We map the work and its problems, measure today's numbers, and set out what belongs in a system.
Requirements and RFPs
Features, priorities and non-functional requirements written up as a specification, and an RFP if you are going to another vendor.
Project and product management
On the client side, we manage schedule, budget and quality, and keep deciding what to build and what not to.
Technical due diligence
An independent assessment of existing systems and engineering teams, for investment, acquisition or vendor selection.
Testing and quality review
Testing of software built by others, or a review of code and design quality on its own.
How we work
From understanding your work to making the software stick and improving it — eight steps, with AI at every one. Hire us for all of it, or just the step you need.
Build
We build in short cycles and check each one against real work early, so the budget goes into what actually matters.
Grow
Software only creates value once it's in use. We make it stick, measure what changed, and keep improving — until your own team can run it.
Why work with us
KPIs before code
We agree what success looks like before we start, and check it in numbers after launch.
Product people, not order-takers
We build, ship and run our own products, so we think like the owner — and we'll push back on features that won't pay off.
Deep in your business
We learn how the work really happens before deciding what to build — including whether to build at all.
In use, running smoothly
Rollout, training, maintenance and improvement are part of the job. Software nobody uses creates nothing.
You're never locked in
We leave the know-how with your team. Keep us on, or take it over — your choice.
How we measure the result
When work gets faster, the time saved is quickly filled by other work — and unless someone measures it, the value the software created simply disappears. So we measure the same process before and after, and you can see exactly what changed.
- Rework and extra cost from changing requirements
- Gap between estimates and actuals
- Bugs found after release
- Time to gather what a decision needs
FOR ENGINEERS
For engineers
Judged from the builder's side
We build and run our own products as well as building for clients, so we review requirements, proposals and code as people who have to build and run them.
What technical due diligence covers
Architecture and technology choices, code quality and tests, security, infrastructure and operations, development process, documentation, dependence on key people, and technical debt with what it would take to pay down.
How we write requirements
We start from how the work flows and today's numbers, and tie feature priorities to KPIs. Screen prototypes align everyone involved, and the specification is detailed enough for a vendor to estimate.
How we use AI
AI helps us read documents and code, organize requirements and build comparisons, so decision material is ready sooner. People check every conclusion before you see it.
Deliverables and handover
- Workflow and problem analysis
- Requirements documents and RFPs
- Technical due diligence reports: assessment, risks and recommendations
- Records of project status and decisions
First step and contract options
Start by telling us what has to be decided, and by when. We then propose the scope and approach.
One-off assessment or document
Work with a defined deliverable, such as an RFP or a technical due diligence report.
Ongoing support
As project or product manager, we stay on the client side from the start of the project to the end.
Contract options
Fixed-scope contracts with an agreed deliverable, or time-and-materials engagements for ongoing involvement. We do both.
Frequently asked questions
Can we hire you for requirements only, and have another vendor build it?
Yes, and we welcome it. We can also help you choose the vendor and evaluate proposals.
Is technical due diligence kept confidential?
Yes. We work under a non-disclosure agreement.