You always know what we’re building, why, and how far along it is
Visibility and control, not just speed. You see the roadmap, the backlog, who the product is for and the real status of every item, without asking for a status meeting.
Clear roles, and you stay in control
You
The owner and decision-maker. You set priorities, see every feature working before it counts as done, and nothing touches your live data or real customers without your go-ahead.
Your product lead
Your single point of contact. Turns goals into specs, user stories and acceptance criteria, keeps the roadmap current, and records every decision.
Design and engineering
Designs and builds each item, writes the tests that prove it works, and reports status in a fixed, plain format.
Five stages, with a decision point after each
Our delivery is based on PRINCE2 Agile and Scrum. In plain terms: you only commit to one stage at a time, and you see working results every two to four weeks.
- Stage 1 of 5 · About a week
Start-up
We agree what success looks like and the delivery approach, and confirm the activities and deliverables for each stage. We also work through roles and responsibilities, how we’ll communicate, and the timing of regular catch-ups and showcases.
What you get
- Project brief
- A plan for the stages that follow
- Access to our Customer Portal, where you can find deliverables, view roadmaps, backlogs and progress, and talk with our team, including decisions and sign-offs
Gate You approve the brief and plan.
Catch-up ★ ShowcasePitch. Pitch started with a clear brief and plan, including the rules for keeping junior players’ details safe. See the project →
- Stage 2 of 5 · Sprints of two to four weeks
Discovery
We get to know your users and your problem in detail before anything is designed: who they are, what they need and where it hurts today. This can include interviews with stakeholders and identified users, as well as surveys and other research methods.
What you get
- Product or service vision
- Personas, user journeys and process maps
- User stories and requirements, including acceptance criteria
- Low-fidelity wireframes
- Optional extra: identity and branding
Gate You decide whether, and how, to move into Alpha.
TaniaTeam manager
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MelanieParent / guardianPitch. We created personas for every type of user, from coaches to parents, each with their own goals and frustrations. See the project →
- Stage 3 of 5 · Sprints of two to four weeks
Alpha
We test ideas cheaply with prototypes and real users, settle the technical approach, and define exactly what the first usable release includes.
What you get
- Application design system (the look and feel)
- Architecture, data, technology and security approach
- A real prototype, tested with you and your users and stakeholders
- Product or service roadmap, release definitions and feature backlog
Gate You approve the roadmap and backlog for Beta.
Pitch.Design system#00A76F#C8FAD6#004B50#1C252EAaPublic Sans
Headings, body, labelsRoles and permissionsAdmin Coach Junior Parent Club directory ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Adults’ contacts ✓ ✓ – – Guardian contacts ✓ ✓ – Own Add an under-18 Edit Edit – – Pitch. Roles and permissions for more than fifteen types of user were designed up front, before the build began. See the project →
- Stage 4 of 5 · Sprints of two to four weeks
Beta
We build in sprints of two to four weeks. Each sprint ends with working, tested software you can try. We often find real users can start using the application before the full launch (we call this the minimum viable product, or MVP).
What you get
- A working application, with all the features agreed in Alpha
- An updated product or service roadmap and backlog
- Full documentation: how it’s built and hosted, the data model, the specifications, and guides for running and supporting it
Gate You sign off each release before it goes live.
Pitch. Built in sprints, with hundreds of automated checks on every release: players, squads, events, chat and dashboards. See the project →
- Stage 5 of 5 · Ongoing
Live
Launched and handed over to you, or supported by us if you take up ongoing managed services. We can keep improving the product in regular sprints, guided by an agreed backlog, or simply keep the lights on and make improvements as they’re needed.
What you get (all optional)
- Ongoing feature releases
- Security, platform and technology updates
- Agreed service levels (SLAs)
- Ongoing access to our Customer Portal, including for support
Each sprint You set the priorities for each sprint.
Pitch. Ready for its first club pilot, on phone, tablet and desktop, with its own launch site at onthepitch.co. See the project →
Plain language, written down, easy to follow
- 01
Discovery
Personas for each type of user, step-by-step maps of how they use your product, and a year-in-the-life view for products with a seasonal rhythm.
- 02
A clear backlog
Work is organised as epics, then features, then user stories. Every story has acceptance criteria and the tests that prove it.
- 03
Now, next, later
Work is sequenced into horizons rather than made-up dates, so you can see what ships now and what comes after.
- 04
Definition of done
A written checklist every item must meet. “Done” means the same thing to everyone.
- 05
Decision log
Every important decision is numbered and recorded with the reason, so nothing is lost or argued twice.
- 06
Safety by design
Sensitive data gets explicit rules, tests and sign-off gates before real users are onboarded, not good intentions.
Nothing ships until it passes
Three gates for every feature and release. By the time it reaches you, it works.
- 1
Acceptance criteria
For each feature and release, we write down the acceptance criteria, the tests and the definition of done, and you agree them before we build.
- What “done” means, agreed up front
- The tests that will prove it, written before the feature
- 2
Internal testing
Before we tell you something is ready to try, we test it thoroughly ourselves against those criteria, and re-test everything that already worked. You’re paying us to make sure it works, so your check should be a final sweep and small tweaks, not finding bugs.
- Hundreds of automated checks, including in a real browser
- Regression tests, so nothing that worked before breaks
- Built and checked in a test environment, never on your live data
- 3
Your verification and sign-off
We give you access and step-by-step instructions, usually in an online showcase or a handover workshop. You check it works the way you need, and sign it off before it goes live.
- Nothing emails or texts real people until you switch it on
- Live is checked to match what you signed off
Seven steps, no guesswork
Every item on your board is always in exactly one of these states.
- PlannedAgreed and in the backlog, ready to be picked up.
- DesigningBeing designed, with user stories and acceptance criteria written.
- Ready for buildDesigned, specified and approved to build.
- BuildingBeing built, with its automated tests.
- TestingIn the test environment for you to try.
- Signed offYou’ve seen it working and approved it.
- LiveReleased to your real users.
Everything in one place, always current
One page with your roadmap, backlog, users and live status. Every item links to its user stories, acceptance criteria, tests and decisions. It works on your phone too.
- RoadmapEpics and features across now, next and later.
- Backlog and statusEvery item with its status, what it depends on and what’s next.
- Your usersPersona cards with goals, motivations and frustrations.
- User mapsStep-by-step maps of how people use it, with the frustrations and the features that fix them.
- Year viewWho does what, in which week, across a whole year.
- Waiting on youWhat we need from you, so nothing stalls quietly.
Where the project is up to, the next gate, and anything waiting on you.
- Fixed-price quotes You know the full cost before we start, and if the scope changes, we agree it with you first.
- No lock-in contracts Ongoing support is month to month.
- You own everything Code, designs, domain and accounts, in your name.
- Reply within one business day Every enquiry gets a real answer, fast.
Want to see it on your project?
Tell us what you’re building and we’ll come back with a plan and a fixed quote within one business day.