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How We Work

A Process Built for Predictable Delivery

Seven phases. Fixed price. Weekly demos. Full transparency from discovery to ongoing support. No surprises, no handoffs to a helpdesk, no code you cannot read.

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The 7 Phases

From first call to production and beyond

Each phase has defined inputs, outputs and exit criteria. Nothing moves to the next phase until the current one is complete and agreed.

  1. 01

    Discovery & Problem Mapping

    Week 1
    • Process map
    • Success criteria document
    • Risk register

    We start by understanding the problem, not by writing code. Stakeholder interviews map the current process end-to-end. A technical audit identifies integration constraints, data sources and security requirements. We define measurable success criteria before any work begins — so the project has a clear definition of done from day one.

  2. 02

    Architecture & Design

    Week 2
    • Architecture diagram
    • API specification
    • Approved wireframes

    With the problem understood, we design the solution. System architecture defines how every component interacts. The data model is agreed before implementation starts. API contracts are documented so integrations are unambiguous. UI wireframes are reviewed and approved before any frontend code is written. Technology selection is justified — not assumed.

  3. 03

    Development Sprint 1

    Weeks 3–4
    • Working MVP core on staging
    • Test coverage >80%
    • Sprint demo recording

    The core of the system is built in a focused two-week sprint. We ship working software to a staging environment at the end of week four — not a demo, a real deployment. Every sprint ends with a live demo session where you see the product, ask questions and provide feedback. Test coverage above 80% is a non-negotiable exit criterion for this phase.

  4. 04

    Development Sprint 2

    Weeks 5–6
    • Full feature set on staging
    • Integration tests passing
    • Security checklist completed

    Secondary features, third-party integrations and edge-case handling are completed in the second sprint. Performance optimisation ensures the system behaves correctly under load. Security hardening — input validation, output sanitisation, rate limiting, RBAC — is applied as part of the sprint, not added after the fact. Integration tests validate end-to-end flows.

  5. 05

    QA & Testing

    Week 7
    • Test report
    • Resolved defect list
    • Performance baseline

    A dedicated QA week runs the full test suite, executes manual exploratory testing against real-world scenarios and performs load testing to establish performance baselines. Accessibility is audited against WCAG 2.1 AA. A security scan identifies any remaining vulnerabilities. Every defect is triaged, prioritised and resolved before production deployment is approved.

  6. 06

    Deployment & Launch

    Week 8
    • Live production system
    • Runbook & operations guide
    • Monitoring dashboard

    We configure a CI/CD pipeline so future deployments are automated and reliable. The production deployment is executed with a verified rollback plan in place. Monitoring and alerting are configured before the first user hits the system. DNS cutover is coordinated to minimise downtime. The team receives thorough handover documentation and a live walkthrough of the system.

  7. 07

    Ongoing Support

    Retainer
    • Monthly reports
    • Response SLAs in contract
    • Retainer options

    Most clients stay with Ascii-Core after launch on a monthly retainer. We handle bug fixes, dependency updates, performance monitoring and incremental feature additions. Quarterly reviews assess system performance against the success criteria defined in phase one and identify optimisation opportunities. Response SLAs are defined in writing.

What Makes It Different

What makes our process different

Not every software studio works the same way. These are the commitments we make to every client — in writing.

  • Full transparency — you see the architecture, the code repository and the test results, not just a status update.
  • Fixed pricing — scope and price are agreed at the end of Discovery. No change orders for in-scope work.
  • Weekly live demos — you see working software every week, not a deck. Feedback is incorporated in the next sprint.
  • No-surprise billing — if scope needs to change, we discuss it before work begins, not when the invoice arrives.
  • Post-launch support — we build the retainer into the relationship from day one. You are not handed off to a support helpdesk.
  • Full documentation — runbooks, API docs, architecture diagrams and deployment guides are delivered as part of the project, not as an optional extra.
Go Deeper

Explore the detail behind each phase

Each major phase has its own detailed page covering methodology, tools and what to expect.

Discovery Process

How we run stakeholder interviews, map processes and define success criteria before writing a line of code.

Read more

Technology Stack

The tools, frameworks and platforms we use at each layer of the stack — and why we chose them.

Read more

Security Practices

How we handle code security, infrastructure hardening, data encryption and compliance requirements.

Read more
FAQ

Process questions answered

Common questions about timelines, ownership, demos and what happens when things change.

Ready to start with a process you can trust?

Book a 30-minute discovery call and we will walk through the process, answer your questions and assess whether your project is a fit.