Details for Project-based and Time & Materials engagements

How We Build New Systems

Our approach to systems development: hypothesis-driven, iterative, and focused on learning through building.

Hypothesis-Driven Development

Every idea is a hypothesis, and while software helps us test our assumptions about what people need, nothing beats talking to humans. We evolve products through cycles of design, build, test, and reflect — delivering value to users iteratively with each step.

Living Documentation

We outline Business Goals, Product Goals, and Team Goals as we work together. We refine these over time to literally stay on the same page. Our approach balances technical systems with social implications — designing for both people and processes.

Learn about The Product Cycle →

We prefer to work in the open (public repos, open docs) to maximize learning and transparency.

Private repositories may carry additional costs. We'll discuss what makes sense for your project.

Milestones

Each milestone delivers user value and validates our hypotheses:

1

Initial Build

The first working version that users can interact with — testing our core hypothesis.

2

User Feedback Session

We review together with stakeholders, gathering insights to refine our approach.

3

Test User Validation

External users interact with the prototype, validating usability and core value.

4

Real User Deployment

First real-world use with actual users — where we learn the most about true value delivery.

Weekly Rhythm

Consistent touchpoints that keep user value at the center:

Working URLs

Live prototypes accessible for immediate user testing and feedback.

Asynchronous Updates

Progress reports via GitHub and your preferred channel with user impact metrics.

Weekly Status

60-minute demos focused on user value delivered and lessons learned.

Expectations

What you can expect from us

  • Transparent estimates with weekly time accounting.
  • Early working URLs for humans to use and react to.
  • Proactive notes on risks, debt, and dependencies.
  • Candid feedback and quick course-correction.

What we'll need from you

  • Access to stakeholders and real users.
  • A single decision-maker for scope calls.
  • Ownership of domains and third-party billing.
  • Content, brand, and policy inputs in a timely way.

Costs

We price on time and materials, and we call out operating costs upfront so you can plan realistically.

1

Time & Materials

$200/hour standard rate.

Typical first phase: 10–20 hours/month ($2,000–$4,000) to get to a working, testable version.

2

Hosting & infrastructure

Basic websites start at $50/month for server hosting.

Web applications start at $100/month for server + database and scale with usage.

3

Common third-party costs

  • Domain: varies between $20-50/year (you keep ownership).
  • Email delivery: starts at $20 per month.
  • Monitoring/analytics: free–$50/month.

Project Lifecycle

We meet you where you are and support every phase of your project journey:

Discovery & First Draft

We start by understanding your vision and users' needs through research, stakeholder interviews, and rapid prototyping. This phase produces a working first version that validates core assumptions.

Operationalize & Transfer Ownership

We build robust systems, establish workflows, and transfer knowledge to your team. This includes documentation, training, and deployment processes.

Long-term Maintenance

As your project evolves, we provide ongoing support for updates, integrations, and adaptations. This can transition to a Retainer engagement.

See All Engagement Models