How It Works
Seven steps, from the first idea to software running in production.
Every project follows the same seven steps. What changes is where it ends up: a managed app we run for you, or software you own outright.
The process
The same seven steps for a new product, an app you want to scale, or a system you need to modernize.
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Understand
Requirements gathering. What problem are we solving, for whom, and what does success look like?
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Scope
How much of the problem we solve, and when. A first release that matters, with a roadmap for the rest.
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Specify
How we solve it. User flows, data, integrations, and edge cases written down before anyone builds.
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Design
System architecture and UX together, so the product looks right and the foundations hold.
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Build
Iterative development with working software you can see and use from the first sprints.
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Test & Pilot
Automated and hands-on QA, then a pilot with real users before general release.
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Run
DevOps, monitoring, maintenance, and updates. On our platform or on yours.
See progress as it happens
Every project runs in our project system. You can see progress at the feature level, with estimates against actuals, so you stay in control of scope, priorities, and budget. At regular demos you see working software, not status reports.
How we do it
What every project gets, whether you digitize, launch, or upgrade.
Reusable infrastructure
Sign-in, messaging, data, payments, and real-time, proven in production for more than a decade. We reuse what's solved and spend the effort on what makes your product different.
Design-led thinking
Design comes before code. UX research and wireframes first, so what we build is something people want to use.
Security built in
Access controls, audit trails, and careful data handling from day one, with the discipline of our HIPAA-ready healthcare work on every project.
AI-accelerated delivery
AI handles the repetitive work. Senior engineers check everything it produces, security included.
Senior experience
Since 2014, senior leads in the US and Japan have run every project. They know where software projects go wrong, so you get fewer surprises.
Capacity when you need it
When the work grows, our extended team in Vietnam and specialists in Europe and South America add capacity. Your lead stays the same.
Managed or custom build
Where the work ends up depends on what you need, and we'll recommend one.
Managed: when time to market matters
We build and run your app on our platform.
Custom build: when you need to own it
We build within your stack, and the code and IP are yours.
Projects start with a 30-minute call, then a Discovery Sprint, which ends with a fixed-price build proposal or a plan for a Dedicated Team. See the Discovery Sprint and pricing and engagement.
Common questions
How often will we see progress?
Throughout. You see working software at regular demos, not status reports, and our project system shows progress, estimates, and budget at the feature level.
Who leads the project?
A senior lead in Tokyo or the US, who owns the relationship from the first call to release and stays your contact as the team grows.
Where does AI fit?
AI takes on repetitive work, so projects move faster and cost less. Senior engineers review everything it produces before it ships, including for security.
Get a free assessment
Tell us what you want to build, fix or replace. On a 30-minute call we'll tell you how we'd approach it. The first assessment is free.