Processes - New System Builds - Onboarding & Delivery Process

Overview

This guide explains how a new system build moves from first interest to active delivery.

It is designed for founders, operators, and product leads who want clarity before work starts and a reliable delivery rhythm once work is underway.

1 - Interest and intake

The process starts with the dedicated new-system-build intake form.

The intake captures:

• What you want to build
• What stage the idea or initiative is at
• The business goal behind it
• What constraints or deadlines exist
• Who the decision-makers are
• Which intro call slot works from the currently available options

2 - Fit review, rate confirmation, and intro call

After intake:

• I review the likely delivery shape and whether I am the right fit
• I confirm whether current capacity matches the timing
• If it looks viable, I confirm the relevant rates and the intro call
• If it is not a fit, or the timing is wrong, I say that early and clearly

The intro call is where we align on the real delivery goal, not just a rough idea list.

3 - Agreement and kickoff preparation

If we decide to work together, the next step is preparing the first delivery phase.

This usually includes:

• Confirming the first outcomes that matter most
• Agreeing the expected delivery shape, working rhythm, and communication expectations
• Finalising the contract and onboarding admin
• Gathering any existing documentation, research, design direction, or technical constraints
• Deciding what needs to be ready before implementation starts

4 - First delivery phase

The first active phase usually focuses on:

• Establishing the right technical foundation
• Clarifying the shape of the first usable release
• Sequencing the highest-value work first
• Making sure the build remains tied to the business objective

5 - Ongoing operating rhythm

Once delivery is underway, the build runs in a structured weekly rhythm.

Daily — every working day: A morning touchpoint (planned focus, any blockers, what I need from you) and an afternoon or end-of-day touchpoint (progress made, decisions taken, what's next). These happen via your preferred channel — Slack, WhatsApp, or equivalent. They do not require a meeting.

Weekly — three structured touches:

• Monday planning note — what is committed this week, expected outputs, any risks
• Midweek delivery — a visibly shipped artifact, decision, or retired risk
• Friday status note — Done / In Progress / Waiting on you / Next week

Monthly — retainer review: A short review covering outcomes delivered, anything that slowed the build, and whether the retainer should be maintained, adjusted, or closed.

6 - Decision points during delivery

As the system takes shape, a few important decisions typically appear at the monthly review or earlier:

• Keep the build focused on the initial release
• Expand the scope into the next phase
• Add launch / go-live support when release or deployment becomes the active priority — priced separately, covers deployment support, rapid triage, and stakeholder communication during the go-live window
• Continue as an ongoing retainer for post-launch development
• Hand off cleanly once the initial delivery goal is complete

7 - Launch, handoff, or continuation

At the end of the first major build phase, we either:

• Continue into the next delivery phase
• Shift to ongoing development support
• Hand off cleanly to your internal team or another delivery team

The closeout should leave you with a working foundation, clear context, and no confusion about what happens next.