What happens in a software Discovery
A Discovery is a short, fixed-fee engagement that happens before any software is built. It turns a rough idea into a written scope, a prototype and a fixed quote for the build. The point is to find out what the project really involves while changing course is still cheap.
Most software projects go wrong before any code is written. The brief is vague, the estimate is a guess, and the price keeps moving once work starts. Discovery replaces that guesswork with a plan you can plan around.
What happens
1. We learn the business. We ask what the business needs to achieve, how the work happens today and what a good result looks like. We talk to the people who do the work, not just the person who commissioned it.
2. We simplify. We cut the plan back to what carries the most weight, so the first release ships sooner and costs less to build.
3. We prototype. We build screens you can click through, so you see the shape of the software before it exists. This is where most misunderstandings surface.
4. We price it. You get a fixed quote for the agreed scope, alongside an honest estimate of what it costs to run once it is live.
For a simple project, a couple of meetings can be enough. A larger project takes longer, and how much longer depends mostly on you: how quickly your team can put us in touch with the right person or department, so we understand the real workflow and the problem we are looking at.
What you get at the end
- A written scope that says exactly what the first release covers
- A prototype you can click through
- A fixed price and timeline for the build
- An estimate of running costs
- Where it applies, a plain recommendation not to build something, or to buy a product instead
What it costs
The Discovery fee is fixed, quoted up front on the overview call, and separate from the build cost. It depends on what is being scoped:
| Project | Typical Discovery fee |
|---|---|
| Simple: one well-defined workflow or product area | $1k to $5k |
| Complex: multiple workflows, user types or integrations | $5k to $10k |
| Multi-stage: large scope delivered in phases | $10k+ |
For comparison, the build itself typically costs $5k to $100k+ (see our cost guide).
What to bring
You do not need a specification. Bring a clear view of the problem, access to someone who understands how the business runs today, and someone who can make decisions quickly. Existing documents, screenshots or spreadsheets help. More answers on how projects run are in the FAQ.
What if the answer is no
Sometimes Discovery shows the project is not worth building as imagined. That is a useful result. You have found it out for a fixed, predictable cost, instead of after paying for a build.
On one industrial product we worked on, Discovery showed there was no need for cloud storage of inspection reports at that stage, because the use case did not call for it. Leaving it out saved the customer the cost of building and running it.
Can I take the result elsewhere?
Yes. We charge for our labour hours on the Discovery, and the blueprint and quote are yours. If you think someone else would do the build better, faster or cheaper, you are free to go.
What a good scope contains
The written scope that comes out of Discovery should leave no room for guessing. Look for:
- The user types and what each one can do
- The workflows in the first release, and the ones that are explicitly left for later
- The systems the software has to connect to
- The risks we found and how we plan to handle them
- The fixed price, the timeline and the expected running costs
If a scope cannot answer those, it is not finished.
Who should be in the room
Three kinds of people make Discovery faster. The person who commissioned the work, who knows the business goal. The people who do the work today, who know how it really happens, including the workarounds. And someone who can make a decision, so questions do not wait a week for an answer. If you cannot get all three in the first meetings, tell us early so we can plan around it.
How it differs from a quote
A quote prices a brief. Discovery tests the brief. By the end you have a plan and a price grounded in how the work really happens, plus our view on what is worth building and what is not.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a Discovery?
Most projects benefit from one, because it removes the guesswork that blows out budgets and timelines. For a very small, clear job we can skip it.
How long does it take?
A couple of meetings can be enough for a simple project. Larger projects take longer, depending mostly on how quickly we reach the right people on your side.
Is the Discovery fee part of the build cost?
It is quoted separately, and it is credited against the build if you go on to build with us.