From Business Problem to Working Software
Projects move through a clear, structured path — Discover, Define, Design, Develop, Test, Deploy, and Support — so you can see what's happening, what's needed from you, and what happens next.
The Delivery Lifecycle
A Clear, Seven-Stage Process
Discover
- What Happens
- We start with a conversation about the problem you're trying to solve — the current process, who it affects, and what isn't working.
- What We Need From You
- A description of the problem in your own words, along with any existing documents, spreadsheets, or examples of the current process.
- What I Deliver
- A clear, written summary of the problem and goals that we both agree on before any design work begins.
- Review & Approval
- You review the summary and confirm it accurately reflects the problem before we move forward.
- What Happens Next
- Once the problem is confirmed, we define the scope of what the first release will include.
Define
- What Happens
- The problem is translated into a concrete scope — the features, pages, or workflow steps the first release will cover.
- What We Need From You
- Your priorities and constraints: what matters most, what can wait, and any budget or timeline limits.
- What I Deliver
- A defined project scope and a phased plan, so the first release can focus on what creates the most value.
- Review & Approval
- You approve the scope before design work starts, so both sides share the same expectations.
- What Happens Next
- With scope agreed, the solution moves into design.
Design
- What Happens
- The approved scope becomes a concrete plan for how the solution will work and look — screens, structure, and key interactions.
- What We Need From You
- Feedback on layouts, workflow, and any branding or style preferences.
- What I Deliver
- Design previews for the key screens and workflows in scope.
- Review & Approval
- You review and approve the design before development begins, while changes are still easy to make.
- What Happens Next
- Once the design is approved, development begins.
Develop
- What Happens
- The approved design is built — the actual pages, features, or system logic in the agreed scope.
- What We Need From You
- Availability for periodic check-ins and prompt answers to questions that come up along the way.
- What I Deliver
- Working software, built incrementally so progress is visible rather than delivered all at once at the end.
- Review & Approval
- You can review progress at agreed check-ins; anything outside the original scope is discussed and agreed before work begins on it.
- What Happens Next
- Once development is complete, the solution moves into testing.
Test
- What Happens
- The finished solution is tested against the agreed scope — functionality, responsiveness, and everyday use.
- What We Need From You
- Time to try the solution yourself and report anything that doesn't match what was agreed.
- What I Deliver
- A tested solution, with issues found during testing addressed before launch.
- Review & Approval
- You confirm the solution works as expected before it goes live.
- What Happens Next
- Once testing is signed off, the solution is ready to deploy.
Deploy
- What Happens
- The solution is released to its live environment, following the plan agreed during scoping.
- What We Need From You
- Access to any hosting, domain, or third-party accounts the solution depends on.
- What I Deliver
- A live, working solution, deployed and verified in its production environment.
- Review & Approval
- You confirm the live solution is working as expected.
- What Happens Next
- After launch, the project moves into the Support stage.
Support
- What Happens
- After launch, we agree on what post-launch support looks like for this project, based on what it actually needs.
- What We Need From You
- Reports of anything unexpected, and visibility into new problems or priorities as they come up.
- What I Deliver
- An agreed level of post-launch support, scoped to this project, and a direct point of contact if something needs attention.
- Review & Approval
- The scope and duration of support are agreed together as part of this stage, rather than fixed in advance.
How We Communicate and Manage Change
- Communication
- I work directly with you throughout the project — no account managers or hand-offs between teams, so you always know who you're talking to.
- Scope, Revisions & Change Requests
- Feedback within the agreed scope is a normal part of design and development. If something comes up that would change the scope, we discuss and agree on it separately before that work begins.
Ready to see how this would work for your project?
Tell me about the process you want to improve. We'll walk through where it fits into this lifecycle and what the first stage would look like.
Let's Discuss Your Project