The six steps
How does a project run, step by step?
For each step: what I need from you, what you get, how long it usually takes and what you will have to decide.
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1
Call
30 minutes · free · phone or video
You tell me about your business and what's slowing you down. I understand the problem and tell you honestly whether I can help.
- What you provide
- A description of your business in your own words. If you have it at hand: the list of tools you use (spreadsheet, invoicing software, CRM, current website). For a website, the website requirements template helps you prepare it.
- What you get
- A frank opinion on what is worth doing, and a written summary of the call by email.
- Typical duration
- 30 minutes. A reply to your meeting request within one business day.
- What you decide
- Whether you want me to prepare a mockup. Nothing commits you at this stage.
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2
Mockup
free
I prepare a demo of your future tool, built around your own case: your screens, your examples, the way you work.
- What you provide
- A few real examples if you have them (a quote, a spreadsheet, a screenshot of your tools). Sometimes a short message to clarify a point.
- What you get
- A mockup of your future tool, ready to try. It is free.
- Typical duration
- A few days after the call.
- What you decide
- Nothing at this stage. We just set the second meeting.
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3
Demo
2nd meeting · video call
I walk you through the mockup. You try it, tell me what's missing or off, and we adjust together.
- What you provide
- Your feedback on the demo, ideally with the people who will use the tool every day.
- What you get
- A mockup adjusted to your feedback, and a clear picture of what will be built.
- Typical duration
- One meeting.
- What you decide
- What goes into the first version, and what can wait.
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4
Quote
fixed price · after the demo
After the demo, you get a fixed-price quote: what's delivered, when, and for how much.
- What you provide
- Nothing more: the quote is based on the demo we adjusted together.
- What you get
- What will be delivered, in what order
- The timeline, split into sprints
- A fixed price, itemized line by line
- What is not included, in writing
- Typical duration
- Right after the demo.
- What you decide
- Accept the quote as is, scale it down to a first step, or not go ahead.
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5
Build
2-week sprints
I build the full tool. At the end of each sprint, you test a working version and adjust.
- What you provide
- The content (copy, logos, sample documents), the access I need, and feedback on each demo within a few days.
- What you get
- A working demo every two weeks and a short written update: what is done, what comes next, what is waiting for your answer.
- Typical duration
- Usually: one to two weeks for a simple automation, three to five weeks for a marketing website, several sprints for an app or custom software.
- What you decide
- Approve each demo or ask for changes. Anything outside the quote is agreed in writing before it is built.
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6
Launch
launch meeting
We put it live together. I show you how to use the tool, hand over the access and documentation, and explain how maintenance works.
- What you provide
- A final sign-off (acceptance testing) and the people who will use the tool, present for the launch.
- What you get
- The launch, done together
- A walkthrough of the tool
- The code, yours once the invoice is paid: source code, access, files and documentation
- An explanation of maintenance
- First month of maintenance free with a 6-month plan
- Typical duration
- One meeting, planned in the quote's schedule.
- What you decide
- Maintenance runs as a 6-month monthly plan, extendable if needed, and the first month is free. During the plan, every defect found, one or several, is fixed. At the end of the 6 months, you decide whether to extend it.
Commitments
What I commit to, in writing
These commitments are written into every quote: you can hold me to them.
| Commitment | What it means in practice |
|---|---|
| Free first call, reply within one business day | Thirty minutes, no commitment. If you write on a Friday evening, you hear back on Monday. |
| A free mockup before the quote | You try a demo of your future tool, built around your case, before you get a price. |
| Price fixed before work starts | The fixed price does not move. A new request along the way is agreed in writing, with its price, before it is built. |
| A working demo every two weeks | You see the work progress and correct the course early, not at the end. |
| The code is yours once the invoice is paid | The code is yours once the invoice is paid: source code, access, files and documentation. In most cases I also keep an access to make maintenance easier. If you'd rather I didn't, just tell me. |
| First month of maintenance free with a 6-month plan | Maintenance runs as a 6-month monthly plan, extendable if needed, and the first month is free. During the plan, every defect found, one or several, is fixed. At the end of the 6 months, you decide whether to extend it. |
| AI: your data stays yours | I use tools that don't train their models on your data, with access limited to what is needed. Sensitive cases are validated by a human. |
Ownership and handover
Who owns the code, and what then?
The code is yours once the invoice is paid: source code, access, files and documentation. The documentation explains how everything works.
Reversibility means you can switch providers without rebuilding everything. I plan for it from day one: the accounts (hosting, domain name, automation tools, AI services) are created in your name, or transferred at delivery.
In practice, if you want to continue with another developer or with someone on your team, they have everything they need to take over. In most cases I also keep an access to make maintenance easier. If you'd rather I didn't, just tell me.
Communication
How do we stay in touch during the project?
One channel, chosen together at the start. I prefer WhatsApp, simpler and faster for day-to-day exchanges, but email works too. We check in at every sprint, so you never have to chase me to know where your project stands.
During the project, I am the one who answers, designs and codes. There is no one in between your request and the person doing the work. I work remotely, in English or French, across time zones.
- Day 1Sprint kickoff: I recap what will be built over the next two weeks.
- DuringQuestions grouped together on the agreed channel, so I don't interrupt you ten times a day.
- Day 10Working demo: a link to try it out, and a 30-minute call if you want one.
- AfterA short written update: done, coming next, waiting for your answer.
After launch
What happens once the tool is delivered?
First month of maintenance free with a 6-month plan. After that, you choose.
- A
You run it yourself
With the documentation and training, the tool runs without me. That is the goal of every project.
- B
Monthly maintenance
I monitor, run the updates and fix what breaks when an external service changes. A 6-month plan, extendable if needed, with the first month free.
- C
New features
Want to add something to the tool? Each change gets a small fixed-price quote, like the original project.
Do I pay for the mockup?
No. The mockup is free and does not commit you to anything. It lets us check together, on your own case, that the tool fits your needs before you receive the quote.
Why a fixed price rather than an hourly rate?
Because you know what you will pay before you sign. The risk of going over budget is on my side, not yours. If you ask for something extra along the way, it is agreed in writing, with its price, before it is built.
What is a sprint?
A sprint is a two-week work period with a precise goal. At the end, you receive a working demo of what was built, so the direction can be corrected early rather than at delivery.
How much time do I need to spend on the project?
Usually about one hour per sprint to test the demo and give me feedback, plus the time to gather your content at the start. I group my questions so I don't need you all the time.
What if I'm not happy with the result of a sprint?
That is exactly what the demos are for. You tell me what is wrong, and I adjust in the next sprint. If the change falls outside the scope of the quote, I tell you and we decide together, in writing.
Can I stop the project partway through?
Yes. The conditions are set out in the quote and the terms and conditions: the work done up to that point is invoiced and handed over to you.
First step
Let's talk about what eats up your time
Thirty minutes on a video call. You walk me through how your business runs, and I tell you what could be simpler, roughly what it would cost, and what I would leave alone if I were you.
- Free, no commitment
- Reply within one business day
- A written summary after the call