Roadmapping

How do you ensure your software project will deliver what you want, on time and on budget?

Custom software development can be a complex and expensive endeavor.  If you choose the wrong team, or you aren’t on the same page, your investment can be totally wasted.  Even the best developers in the world cannot deliver the solution you need if they don’t fully understand the problem you are trying to solve.

If you drop thousands of dollars on a project that doesn’t solve your problem.  You are not just back to square one, you are worse off than when you started because you have expended significant time, energy, and money on something that gets you no closer to your goal.

Before you take on any large endeavor, from building a house, to launching a business, you need a plan.

What is roadmapping?

Roadmapping is the process we use to work with you to analyze your problem and formulate a plan to solve it.  I meet personally with you to peel the onion and get to the core issue you are facing and understand your concerns.  Then we come back to you with an action plan tailored to your needs, your business, and your budget.  All our projects start with road mapping.  This allows us to get a better understanding of exactly what will best meet your needs.  That way, at the end of the project you leave happy, with a solution that is just right for you.

How does the process work?

  1. At the bottom of this page is a form where you can fill in some basic information about your business and what you are looking for help with.  You can also pick a couple of meeting times that work for you.
  2. Once you submit that, I will reply via email with a meeting time, and an invoice, and some additional questions, as needed.
  3. Once you submit payment for that invoice, that secures your meeting slot.
  4. If you are in the Austin area, we can meet in-person.  Otherwise, I will setup a video chat.
  5. During the meeting, we will discuss the issue in depth, as well as your business, and your goals.  We will talk about strategy and possible options, and I will address any questions or concerns you have.
  6. The meeting typically runs about 60-90 minutes, but if you have additional questions, and need longer, that’s fine.  If we get everything figured out quickly, I will get out of your hair and let you get back to running your business.
  7. After I leave, I will do some additional research, mostly on technical solutions.
  8. And I will prepare a report, summarizing what we learned in our discussion and in my research afterward.  The report will outline at least 2 options to achieve your goals, with pricing and timelines for each.
  9. Once my report is complete, I will send you a copy and review it with you (usually over the phone).
  10. If you want to move forward with either option, we will get your project scheduled with the team, and start work.

How much does roadmapping cost?

We charge a flat fee of $249 for the road mapping service.  This includes everything listed in the process above: the discovery meeting, the research time, the report, and the call to review the report.

What if I don’t like your proposed solution in the report?

If you don’t feel like either option is a good fit, we can discuss your concerns and make revisions.  Since the report and its proposed solutions are based entirely on conversations with you about your business and your needs, this doesn’t really happen.  In fact, we have never had to do more than trivial revisions to our proposals.  If you are dissatisfied with the report and do not find it helpful, we offer a 100% money-back guarantee.  We will send you a refund via check.

What if I don’t want to work with you?

I hope it wasn’t something I said.  But the report is yours, and you are under no obligation to move forward with the project.  You are welcome to take the report and use it to get quotes or estimates from someone else.

What if the proposal costs too much?

Well, one reason we always include two options is to at least give you a choice.  If both options are too expensive, you can use the report to get competing quotes.  If you need to hold off on the project, you can hang on to the report, and get in touch when you are ready to move forward.  The pricing is only guaranteed for 30 days, but we can take the existing report and give you an updated price.

What if it costs too little?

I guess you could buy me lunch?  We do our best to keep our overhead low, and not sell you things you don’t need.  We also work hard to understand your business and your needs fully, so we don’t end up providing you only a partial solution.  If the price is lower than you expect, we are happy to talk it over, but hopefully, that just means we found a way to save you money.

How do I get started?

Schedule a free 30-minute call with us and let’s discuss the strategy to adopt in turning your imagination into a reality. 

Just click here to select a time that works for you: 

That sounds good, but I’m not ready to do anything today…

That’s fine.  You have a business to run, and you have to prioritize things.  You should really consider signing up for my newsletter.  It will give us a way to keep in touch until you are ready, and in the meantime, it has lots of free tips to help you in your business.

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