Project Rescue

You've paid for software that still doesn't work the way you need it to. Deadlines have passed, the budget has grown, and you're being asked to fund another round of development. You need to know what that money would actually fix.

Your previous developer may have walked away, or they may still be working while you've lost confidence in what they're telling you. Either way, you need an independent view of what has been built and what remains.

I'll review the software and how the project has been run, then give you a written recovery plan. You can use it with your current team or hand it to a new provider.

What I look at

A working demo can hide unfinished work, while a project that feels like a failure may still contain software you can use. I'll look at the evidence before recommending a repair or a rebuild.

We'll agree on the scope before I start, focusing on the areas that affect your next decision. That may include:

• The codebase, architecture and features delivered against your requirements
• Deployment, infrastructure, backups and risks to running the software
• Access to repositories, hosting and other accounts needed to operate it
• Documentation and what another developer would need for a handover
• How scope, decisions, testing and communication have been managed

I'll also look at the constraints the team faced, including changing requirements and decisions they couldn't make themselves. Where the evidence is incomplete, the report will say so.

What you get

You'll receive a written report with the findings, the evidence behind them and a prioritised recovery roadmap. The report will cover:

• Which parts can be retained, which need repair and where replacement is justified
• Immediate risks to address, such as missing access or an unreliable deployment process
• A sequence of work that accounts for dependencies and your business priorities
• The skills and changes to the delivery process needed to carry out that work
• Unanswered questions that need investigation before anyone commits to a build estimate

We'll walk through the report together. If you're changing providers, you can use it to brief candidates and compare their proposed scope.

How it works

We'll start with a kickoff call about your business, what happened and the decisions you're facing. I'll then review the available code and infrastructure, read the project documentation and speak with the people involved.

Assessments typically take three to four weeks. Missing access or a larger project can affect that, so we'll discuss scope and timing before the engagement begins. The final step is a review call once you've read the report.

Tell me about the project through the assessment request form. Include what was meant to be delivered, where things stand and what access you currently have. I'll get back to you to discuss the next step.

How much does this cost?

The fee is AUD $9,500 ex GST. This includes the kickoff call, assessment, written report and review call.

If the report doesn't give you a clear path forward, I'll refund your fee.

This isn't for you if

• You need someone to take over development. I assess the project and recommend what to do next; your team or another provider does the work.
• You want a rebuild approved without examining what already exists. I'll recommend one only if the evidence supports it.
• You need a verdict without giving me access to the project. We can discuss what's available before you commit, but the findings can only go as far as the evidence allows.

Questions

Can you assess work from a previous vendor?
Yes. I'll need access to the work they've delivered and the requirements it was meant to meet. Proposals, delivery notes and outstanding issue lists help establish what was agreed and what remains unfinished.

What if the vendor won't cooperate or we don't have the source code?
Tell me what you can access before we start. Documentation, a running application and hosting access may support a limited review, but I can't assess code I can't see. We'll establish whether the available evidence is enough for the decisions you need to make.

Will you tell us whether to repair or rebuild?
Where the evidence supports a recommendation, yes. I'll consider the existing software, your remaining requirements and the work involved in each approach. If a technical question needs further investigation, I'll identify it in the report.

Do we need to replace our current team?
That's one of the decisions the assessment can inform. I'll look at the skills available and how work is organised, including any requirements or decision-making problems that would remain if you changed providers.

Can you help once implementation starts?
You can use Backchannel for ongoing advice as your team works through the recommendations. Development and day-to-day delivery remain with your implementation team.

Which languages, databases or platforms can you work with?
Just about any. Tell me what your project uses when you get in touch. If I don't think I can assess your stack properly, I'll tell you before you commit to the assessment.

Can we arrange an NDA?
Yes, I'm happy to sign an NDA before reviewing your project.

Talk through the situation first

If you're unsure whether you need a full assessment, an Advice & Unblocking call gives you a way to discuss what's happened and decide on the next step.