Tests are not optional
When time runs short we cut scope, never the test suite. Shipping something untested just moves the cost to you.
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Process
You should never have to ask what we are doing this week
Five stages, each with a written deliverable and a decision point. Nothing moves forward until you have seen the thing that came before it, and nothing gets billed that you have not approved.
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Stage 01 · Week 0
Discovery
A conversation first, then a written scope. We work out what you are actually trying to change, who it is for, what already exists, and which parts of it are genuinely fixed versus assumed. Most of the value here is in the questions that reveal the project is smaller — or larger — than it looked.
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Stage 02 · Weeks 1–2
Design
Visual direction, layout system and component language, agreed before anyone writes production code. This is the cheapest place in the whole project to change your mind, so we deliberately spend time here. You review real screens, not mood boards, and every state is drawn — including the empty and broken ones.
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Stage 03 · Weeks 2–8
Build
Front end, back end and infrastructure, built in vertical slices so there is something real to look at early. You get access to a staging environment from the first week of this stage, and a short written update every Friday: what shipped, what is next, what is at risk.
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Stage 04 · Final week
Launch
Cross-browser and device testing, an accessibility pass against WCAG 2.2 AA, a performance check against the budget we set in discovery, and a rehearsed deployment. We do the real one with you on a call, and we do not schedule it for a Friday afternoon.
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Stage 05 · After launch
Handover & support
Repositories, infrastructure accounts and documentation transfer to you. Every project includes a support window for fixes at no extra cost. After that you can take it in-house, keep us on a monthly retainer, or hand it to someone else — and we will help whoever that is get oriented.
Working rhythm
Predictable enough to plan around
You are not buying a black box. The cadence below is the same on every project, whether it runs two weeks or four months.
- Friday written update. Shipped, next, at risk. Three headings, no meeting required.
- One 30-minute call a week. Optional. Cancel it whenever there is nothing to decide.
- Staging always current. Look at the real thing any time, without asking.
- Slippage flagged early. The moment we see it, not the week it was due.
Principles
The rules we do not bend
These are the four things that stay true even when a deadline gets tight.
Bad news travels fast
If something has gone wrong you hear it from us the same day, with what we propose to do about it.
Plain language only
Scopes, updates and invoices are written to be understood without a technical translator in the room.
Code you can read
We optimise for the developer who inherits it, which is often your team six months from now.
Process FAQ
The practical questions
What do you need from us to start?
A conversation and whatever already exists — brand assets, an old site, a rough document, a competitor you like. If none of that exists yet, that is fine too; discovery is where we build it.
How much of our time will this take?
Roughly two hours a week from one decision-maker, concentrated in discovery and design. If you can only give us less, tell us up front so we scope around it rather than stalling on approvals.
What happens if we want to change direction mid-build?
We price the change and you decide. Small adjustments inside the agreed scope are simply part of the work. Something that resets a completed stage gets quoted before we touch it.
Can you work in our project management tool?
Yes — Jira, Linear, Trello, Notion, a shared board, whatever you already run. We will not ask you to adopt a new tool for the duration of one project.
What if we need to pause?
You can pause between stages at no penalty. We invoice for the completed stage, hand over what exists, and pick it back up when you are ready.
Stage 01
Discovery starts with a conversation
No contract, no obligation, and you keep the written scope whether or not you continue with us.