The idea is still a deck
Nobody has watched a user try the workflow. We prototype the risky part before a full build.
Product engineering
Product engineering, one slice at a time.
We start from a product we already run when it fits, or from the codebase you have. We build only the next slice that proves the product, then host it and keep releasing.
- BaseYour code, or a product we run
- The sliceOnly the next proof
- After launchReleases and hosting
Pick a stage. Now, next and later are what we would put in the first plan.
Where a product usually stalls
The first conversation is about which of these is true. We do not start with a rewrite.
The MVP cannot take payment safely
Demand is real. Accounts, tests and a release path are not. Paying customers would expose that.
Releases keep slipping
Each feature touches too much of the core. Integrations fail in ways nobody can see until a customer does.
The first architecture is full
New work means freezing the roadmap or rewriting everything. We move one module at a time.
A product we run already covers the domain
Retail, commerce, jobs, therapy or leadership reporting may not need a blank product. We say so before we build.
Nobody owns it after launch
The team that shipped it is gone. Monitoring, releases and hosting need a named plan.
Meet the product where it is
Each stage has a first slice. Choosing one fills the brief below if you have not written it yet.
Just an idea
Learn before a big build. The first slice is the smallest release that proves demand.
- Problem and user discovery
- A clickable prototype
- A scoped MVP and a sensible architecture
An MVP
Demand is proved. The codebase and the operating model are not ready for paying customers.
- Clearer domain boundaries
- CI/CD and staging
- The surfaces the team needs after launch
Live, and slowing down
Releases take longer. Integrations are fragile. We start with the biggest drag.
- Find what slows a release
- Refactor in increments
- Stabilise the fragile connections
Scaling or rewriting
The architecture was not meant to last. We evolve it while you keep shipping.
- One module on the new shape
- Durable APIs
- Observability for what you operate
How a product actually gets built
Three parts. A blank rebuild is the last option, not the first.
1 · Base
Start from something that already runs
Your existing product, or one we operate: ERP, SnapOS, CommerceNest, Buildora, Theraos, ExecLayer. If it covers the domain, we extend it.
2 · The slice
Build only the next proof
One workflow, the tests around it, and a staging release. Billing, extra modules and a rewrite wait until that slice holds.
3 · After launch
Host it and keep shipping
CI, staging, monitoring and a care plan. Design of the next module is quoted separately. You own the code, as the contract says.
Hire, freelance, or a team that stays
Each route can work. These are the differences that decide whether a product ships and lasts.
DecisionHire in-houseFreelancersLarge agencyDEIENAMI
First releaseHiring takes time before work startsFast to start, depends on one personProcess-heavy before buildingA focused team and a usable first slice early
TestingDepends on who you hireOften unevenStrong, usually at higher costTests, CI and staging built in
Code and IPYoursUnclear unless contractedContract-heavyOwnership agreed in writing up front
After launchYours, if people stayAvailability can disappearRetainers can be costlyReleases and hosting under a plan
CostSalaries, plus hiring riskCheap until rework appearsChange fees add upPhased scope, cost seen against value
What you can check
Each step leaves something you can open, not a status slide.
- Scope
- The problem, the users, and the slice we will not build yet.
- Prototype or first release
- Something a real user can try before the rest of the product exists.
- Tests
- What passed, and a written list of what we did not test.
- Staging
- A release path you can repeat, not a laptop deploy.
- Ownership
- Who owns the code, the data and the deploy, written before work starts.
- Care
- Releases, monitoring and hosting hours after launch. Uptime is not promised.
Products a new build can stand on
We build client products, and we run these ourselves. A custom product is for the part they do not cover. Measured client results are shared only with permission.
- MVP to productionDomain boundaries, CI, staging and the surfaces a team needs after launch.
- ERP SystemInventory, purchasing, finance hand-offs and fulfilment.
- SnapOSCounter checkout, stock and reporting for retail.
- CommerceNestCatalogue, pricing, checkout and fulfilment in one core.
- BuildoraJobs, crews, materials and progress for field teams.
- TheraosClients, sessions, notes and finance for a practice.
- ExecLayerPriorities, capacity and delivery health for a leadership team.
Agencies can put their name on the build
White-label, a team inside yours, or a referral. Your client relationship, brand and product ownership stay yours. Scope is written before work starts.
White-label
We engineer the product under your brand.
Team extension
Our engineers inside your tools and review process.
Referral
Introduce a client. Terms are agreed in writing first.
Questions before you decide
The contract still sets the exact terms.
How much does it cost to build a product?
It depends on scope. We start with discovery, then propose a phased plan so you can see cost against value before committing. We do not publish a single price, because every product is different.
Who owns the code and the intellectual property?
You do, as agreed in writing before work starts, along with how the product is deployed and handed over.
What technology do you use?
We choose proven, mostly open-source technology that fits the product and your team, and we explain the trade-offs so you are never locked in.
How quickly can we get a first version?
We scope the smallest release that proves your idea and put it in front of users early. The timeline is set after discovery, not promised before we have seen the product.
Can you join our existing team?
Yes. We can extend your engineering team when you need capacity, without you losing ownership of the product.
Do you support the product after launch?
Yes. We stay on under a clear plan for releases, monitoring and improvements.
Start a conversation
Tell us where the product is.
We reply with whether a product we already run fits, what the next slice is, and how we would host it.
- One slice before a rewrite
- Tests and a release path
- You keep the code
- Care after launch, scoped in writing
Thank you. We have your brief.
We will reply by email. If you do not hear from us, use the contact page.