Paid discovery
Where the scope is unclear, agree the discovery questions, deliverables, fee and schedule before starting. Discovery produces a scope and options to review; it does not automatically commit either party to delivery.
A fixed scope, and a document that says what is not in it
A project has a start, an end and an agreed price. What decides whether it stays that way is not the plan — it is how carefully the edges were drawn before anyone started.
Dublin, IrelandIreland, EU & UKFixed-scope project or monthly-hours retainer
- Scope
- Fixed in a statement of work
- Schedule
- Agreed after scoping
- Billing
- Agreed milestones
- Changes
- Quoted and approved before work starts
Who this is for
- You know what you want built and you want a number before you commit.
- You have been burned by a project that grew, and you want the edges written down.
- You need to take a cost to a board or an owner and have it hold.
How it works
A statement of work
Agree deliverables, exclusions, responsibilities, schedule, fee and change control before delivery begins.
Milestone acceptance
Define the acceptance criteria, review process and payment conditions for each milestone in the statement of work. Record approval or agreed corrections before moving on.
User acceptance testing (UAT)
Agree who tests, the test environment, acceptance criteria, review window and how defects are recorded in the statement of work. UAT checks the agreed deliverables, not an undefined list of new features.
Warranty
Define the defect warranty, its duration, exclusions and reporting process in the statement of work before delivery. Distinguish a defect against the accepted scope from a new change request.
Post-delivery handover and support
Agree documentation, access handover, ownership, maintenance responsibilities and any post-delivery support in writing. Ongoing work requires an agreed project or monthly-hours retainer; it is not unlimited or on-call cover.
Out of scope
What a fixed scope excludes
Every statement of work we write names its exclusions explicitly, and they are specific to the job. Typically: content writing, image licensing, third-party subscriptions and licences, migration of data we have not seen, training beyond the agreed sessions, and anything a new stakeholder asks for after sign-off. None of these are refusals — they are separate, and priced separately.
Your side
What we need from you
Nominate one decision-maker. Agree dates for content, access, consolidated feedback and approvals in the statement of work; record the effect of delays or changes rather than assuming availability.
These are in the document with dates against them, because most overrun is not slow delivery — it is work done twice while waiting.
Where we stop
Where this stops being the right shape
If the outcome is not clear enough to price, start with paid discovery. Agree a delivery project only when its scope and acceptance criteria are understood.
Start with a conversation
Tell us what is slowing you down. Discuss fit, the delivery model and whether paid discovery is needed before committing to work.