Insights
Buying, budgeting and running software engineering
Written for the person who has to make the decision and live with it. Every piece here comes out of engagements we have delivered since 2017, and each one is meant to be useful whether or not you ever work with us.
AI in engineering From AI-generated prototype to production software What a generated prototype already gives you, what production adds on top, and how to sequence the work so the demo keeps running throughout. August 2026 · 11 min read Budgeting engineering What custom software costs, and what moves the number Where a software estimate comes from, which decisions move it most, and how to compare two quotes that differ by a factor of three. August 2026 · 10 min read Buying engineering Choosing a software development partner: eleven questions that predict the result The eleven questions that separate a vendor who will deliver from one who will look good in the pitch. August 2026 · 9 min read Contracting engineering Fixed price or time and materials: choosing the model that fits the work Which contract model suits which kind of work, what each one really costs, and the hybrid most experienced buyers end up using. August 2026 · 8 min read Taking over software Inheriting a codebase: what the first week should tell you A week-one review that turns an unfamiliar codebase into a costed plan — what to measure, where to look, and what good looks like. August 2026 · 9 min read
