How We Work

No code until you've signed off on exactly what's built.

Most software projects fail before the first line of code: scope nobody agreed on, budgets nobody anchored, vendors nobody can fire. We structured our entire engagement model so none of that happens to you.

  • Fixed-Fee Discovery
  • Transparent Milestone Billing
  • You Own Everything
01020304INTAKE& FITDISCOVERYSPRINTBUILDCYCLESHANDOFFCONVERSATIONNOT A PITCHSIGN-OFFREQUIREDWORKING SWEACH CYCLEYOU OWNEVERYTHINGSECTION K-K — ENGAGEMENT PROCESS OVERVIEWJPL · DWG-0801 · REV A
Why It Matters

Most project failures happen before the first line of code.

Scope creep, missed expectations, and blown budgets almost always trace back to the same root: nobody agreed on exactly what was being built before it started.

We fixed this by making discovery a product. You know what you're getting before you commit to building it.

Common Problem 01

Unclear scope leads to "just one more thing" until the project doubles in cost.

Common Problem 02

Technical teams and business owners aren't aligned on what done looks like.

Common Problem 03

Clients feel locked in once development starts. Mid-project changes become expensive.

Common Problem 04

You don't know if the vendor actually understands your problem until you're already months in.

Common Problem 05

You've been quoted six figures for a new ERP. The number killed the conversation, but the problem didn't go away.

The Field Method

A process built for operational software

0130 minutes · Free

Intake & Fit

A conversation, not a pitch. We need to understand your problem before we can tell you whether we're the right team for it. If we're not, we'll say so.

022–3 weeks · Fixed fee

Discovery Sprint

We map your workflows, identify the core bottleneck, define exact deliverables, and document everything. You sign off before we write code.

03Milestone by milestone

Build Cycles

Development runs in short cycles with working software delivered at each milestone, at the fixed price you approved in discovery. You see progress, not status updates.

04No lock-in, ever

Handoff

You own the code, the infrastructure, and the documentation. We don't create dependency. We create capability.

The process is designed so you're never surprised and never locked in.

Discovery Output

A document you could hand to any team.

Our discovery sprint ends with a clear specification: exactly what's being built, in what order, at what cost. Detailed enough that you could walk it into any engineering team and start tomorrow.

  • Workflow maps: how work actually flows today, including the workarounds and the spreadsheets
  • Bottleneck analysis backed by what we observed on your floor and in your data, not assumptions
  • Architecture and integration decisions, including exactly how the system connects to your ERP
  • Milestone plan with cost per phase, the full number before any code exists
  • Risk register with mitigations, written down before it happens, not explained after
  • Rollout plan: who uses it first, and what "done" measurably means

Most clients tell us the discovery document alone was worth the engagement.

DISCOVERY DOCUMENT01 — WORKFLOW MAP02 — BOTTLENECK ANALYSIS03 — FEATURE SCOPE & PRIORITY04 — ARCHITECTURE DECISIONS05 — MILESTONES & COST06 — RISK REGISTERYOURSIG.2–3 WEEKSSECTION L-L — DISCOVERY SPRINT DELIVERABLEJPL · DWG-0802 · REV A
Operating Principles

The terms most vendors hope you don't ask about.

Three commitments that don't change from client to client, written down instead of implied.

If any of these ever slip, that's on us to fix, not you to chase.

Principle 01

Transparent milestone-based billing. Every milestone has a fixed price, agreed in discovery, paid when it ships as working software. No hour-counting, no meter running, no surprise change orders.

Principle 02

You own 100% of the IP. Code, infrastructure, documentation, and data are all yours from day one, in your accounts, under your name. We build capability, not dependency.

Principle 03

Working software, not status decks. Every milestone ends with something your team can click. If you can't see progress in a browser, something's wrong, and you'll know, because you can look anytime.

We Say No Sometimes

If we're not the right fit, we'll tell you.

Not every problem needs custom software. Not every client needs us. If a simpler solution (a better SaaS tool, a small automation, or just a process change) would solve your problem faster and cheaper, we'll tell you that in the first call.

  • No upselling into work you don't need
  • Referrals to better-fit vendors when appropriate
  • Clear criteria for when to build versus buy
  • Transparent pricing before any commitment

We'd rather lose a deal than build something that doesn't help.

BUILDCUSTOMBUYOR ADAPTCOMPLEXWORKFLOWSTANDARDPROCESSHONESTASSESSMENTSECTION M-M — BUILD VS BUY DECISION FRAMEWORKJPL · DWG-0803 · REV A
Field Questions

What owners ask about the process.

What if we do discovery and decide not to build?

Then you've spent a fixed fee for a complete map of your operation's bottlenecks, a prioritized plan, and honest costs, and you can act on it whenever you're ready, with us or anyone else. Some clients sit on the document for months before building. That's a fine outcome.

Who actually does the work?

A small, senior team leads every engagement directly. No offshore handoffs, no account-manager layers between you and the people building your system.

How do changes get handled mid-build?

Discoveries during a build are normal, which is why milestones are short. Any change that affects cost or timeline gets written up, priced, and approved by you before work continues. The estimate only moves when you move it.

What happens after handoff?

Your choice. Most clients keep us on for enhancements and support because the roadmap keeps growing once the first workflow proves out. But the system runs without us: documentation, infrastructure access, and code are all in your hands, and we train your team on all of it.

Ready to Start

Start with the 30 minutes. The rest is earned.

Tell us what's broken. If we're not the right team, you'll leave with a straight answer, and that costs you nothing.

No pitch decks required.

Book a Fit Call