Our Process

Most projects aren't "normal" but what we've shown on this page is the process you can broadly expect:

  1. Chew the Fat. If we're not for you then this is as far as it goes.
  2. Plan the project. Work out who will do what and when, what it will cost, sign-up and get started.
  3. Architecture. You've got a vision but a system needs to be designed to work in your environment. The only path to a good system is a good architecture.
  4. Build and Deliver. We will look at your business priorities in the design phase so that we deliver business value as quickly as possible. There might be several releases before we're done or there might only be one - it all depends on what works for your business.



First thing is to understand what you're thinking. We want to hear about it and think the best way for you to get there. We will let you know our thoughts on what you should do. Well and good if we have the expertise you need but if we don't we will try to put you in-touch with someone who can help - not because we're not interested - just because we might not be what we think you need.

Chew the Fat

Plan

This is where we formally engage. Our Delivery Manager and Architect will work with you to develop a proposal that takes account of your business context and your vision for the future.

If its a big vision we will start out with a strategy that takes account of where you want to be and when. We will then consider how we can develop systems to fit in with your plans.

For the first step (big or little) we will work out what we're going to deliver next, who will be in the team, how much it will cost, who will do what etc. If we can agree on this much we can start the journey.

Architecture

When we're working on your systems we will be following a method known as the Unified Process. In the Unified Process we take a look at the big picture and develop an architecture for your system. The architecture is the structure of the system, things like what types of devices it will run on, how we handle security etc. Architecture is not at the level of screen design - we will think about that sort of thing when we start building.

There are a lot of things to think about when defining the architecture but the system will never be what you want it be unless you get it right so its worth the effort. We will consider all of the constraints that affect your business and how your systems need to be setup so they can work within those constraints while still implementing your vision.

Build IT

If the architecture defined previously doesn't use Microsoft Azure then we won't suggest we build it so we might not be involved in this phase. If that's the case it might still be a good idea to have us provide architectural oversight to make sure the design is implemented faithfully.

If the architecture calls for a Microsoft Azure type solution we will be happy to build it. We specialise in Azure because experience with a particular technology makes you better at it - which means those customers who need Azure will benefit from our experience and the speed and efficiency we have developed.

The Unified Process we mentioned in the Architecture phase calls us to use the Agile method in the Build phase. In the Agile method we will build the base system first and then build the functionality you want - bit by bit. If it makes sense you can start using these bits while we're still developing the rest of the system.

The Agile method wants heavy user involvement in the build phase - that way we can make sure we get the screen designs etc. just right. You (or your representative) will be working right along side us helping us nail the design of every detail.

We can also provide project management and, if you want, we can assemble the development team as well.