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How it works

From business problem to working system, with your approval at every step.

Most failed software projects go wrong before any code is written, because nobody pinned down the problem. So we start there, with you and your people. You approve a written plan and a fixed price, and only then do we build, go live and look after it.

Book a free discovery callSee packages and prices

The steps

Six steps, from first call to ongoing support.

It starts with a free 30-minute call. Steps 01 to 03 are the Specification Sprint (5 to 10 business days). Steps 04 and 05 are the Application Build (2 to 6 weeks). Step 06 is support, on your terms.

Nothing is built until you approve the plan, and that is when the build price is fixed.

Book a free discovery call

Who does what

AI does the building. Experienced people make the decisions.

That is how the price comes down while the quality stays up.

What AI does

  • Writes the code, strictly within the plan you approved.
  • Writes and runs routine checks on every change.
  • Drafts the written instructions for running the system.
  • Flags known security weaknesses in the code and the parts it uses.

What we do

  • Work through the problem with you and decide what is worth building.
  • Design the system and how it links to the software you already use.
  • Check every change and approve every update before it goes live.
  • Plan the switch to the new system, train your team and keep daily work running.
  • Stay accountable after launch, with support you can call on.

In detail

What happens at each step, and what you receive.

  1. 01Define the problemWe talk with you and the people who do the work until the problem is clear.

    What happens

    • You show us what you have: a process, a spreadsheet or just an idea.
    • We talk to the people who do the work and see how it really runs today.
    • We agree with you what success would look like, in numbers where we can.

    You receive

    • A written description of the problem
    • What success looks like, and how we will measure it

    Good to know: Bring whatever you have. Rough notes and messy spreadsheets are fine.

  2. 02Spot the risksBefore we design anything, we look at what could make the project hard.

    What happens

    • Your systems: what it must link to, what information it holds, where it will run and how it stays secure.
    • The build: what to do first, what can wait and what might be hard.
    • Your team: who needs training, how to switch over and how to keep daily work running.

    You receive

    • A list of what could go wrong, and how we would handle it
    • Our recommendation, including whether to build at all

    Good to know: If software is not the right answer, we will tell you here, before you spend any more.

  3. 03Approve the planWe write a plan built around your business, with a fixed price for the build.

    What happens

    • We write the plan: what the system does, who uses it, what it connects to and how it stays secure.
    • You go through it with us, and we change it until it fits.
    • When you approve it, the build price is fixed. Ideas that come later are planned as a next step.

    You receive

    • A written plan you own
    • A fixed-price build quote
    • The choice to build it yourself, with any developer, or with us
    • 50% credit applied to Spec when you build with us.

    Good to know: Nothing is built until you sign off. You can stop here and keep the plan.

  4. 04BuildAI builds the system to the approved plan, and we check every change as it goes.

    What happens

    • The checks are written from the plan first, so the system is tested against what you asked for.
    • Every change is tested and checked for security automatically.
    • At each payment stage, a senior engineer reviews progress and shows it to you.

    You receive

    • A working, tested system
    • Progress you can see at each stage

    Good to know: The price is fixed. If you ask for a change, we quote it before any work starts.

  5. 05Go liveWe bring the system in carefully, so daily work keeps running.

    What happens

    • You and your team try it in a test copy first.
    • We plan the switch with you, including training and moving any existing records the plan covers.
    • It goes live on the day you choose.

    You receive

    • A live system your team is ready to use
    • A simple guide to running it and recovering it if something fails

    Good to know: If anything goes wrong after go-live, we put the previous version back.

  6. 06SupportWe look after the system, every month or whenever you need us.

    What happens

    • Operate & Evolve: we look after it in your cloud account or on your servers, watch for problems, keep it secure, check the backups and improve it once a month.
    • Pay-as-you-go maintenance: call us when something needs attention, and we quote each job.

    You receive

    • A system that stays secure and up to date
    • People to call who know your system

    Good to know: Operate & Evolve starts from A$1,990 a month. Pay-as-you-go jobs are quoted one at a time.

Why we plan first

Planning first is what makes a fixed price possible.

A price you can budget for.
You see the price before we start. It is tied to a written plan and only changes if you approve a change in writing.
The system you asked for.
You read the plan in plain English before we build. The finished system is checked against it.
You are never locked in.
You own the software, the plan and everything needed to run it. Any developer can take it over.
What gets built
Build first, plan laterWorked out as the build goes
Plan firstWritten down and approved before the build
Price
Build first, plan laterAn estimate that often grows
Plan firstFixed against the written plan
Changes
Build first, plan laterAdded as you go, and the bill grows
Plan firstQuoted before any work starts
Testing
Build first, plan laterOften by hand
Plan firstTested automatically on every change
Security
Build first, plan laterOften reviewed near the end
Plan firstChecked on every change and before launch
Going live
Build first, plan laterUsually one big switch-over
Plan firstTried in a test copy first, and easy to reverse
Over time
Build first, plan laterCan slow as the system grows
Plan firstStays easy to change, because the plan is kept up to date
Ownership
Build first, plan laterVaries by supplier
Plan firstThe software, the plan and everything to run it are yours
Your role
Build first, plan laterFrequent status meetings
Plan firstShape the plan, then check the results

For your technical adviser

Have your IT adviser check our work.

Pass this list to anyone you trust with IT. It is written for them, so it uses technical terms.

  • Tests generated from the specification before implementation: unit, integration and end-to-end, with coverage gates.
  • A CI/CD pipeline on every change: build, test, static analysis, dependency audit and secret scanning. Nothing reaches an environment without passing.
  • Every change is a reviewable pull request that references the specification section it implements.
  • Containerised deployment described in versioned files, with health checks and resource limits. Secrets never stored in the repository or image.
  • Staged promotion (staging, then production) with human sign-off. Releases are versioned; rollback is a tag change, not a rebuild.
  • Monitoring on errors, latency and availability. Security headers, least-privilege access and dependency auditing by default.
  • Runs in your own cloud account or on your own servers; Smartible does not host client systems. Security practice shaped by Essential Eight and government security compliance experience.

Questions

Common questions

What happens if the AI gets something wrong?
It will, sometimes. That is why nothing reaches you unchecked. Automatic checks test every change against the agreed plan. A senior engineer reviews the work. If an update causes a problem, we put the previous version back in one step.
What if our needs change along the way?
That is expected. We finish what was agreed and plan the new idea as a next step, so your price and timeline stay clear.
How involved do we need to be?
Most in the first three steps, where we work through the problem and the plan with you. After that, you check progress at each agreed payment stage (a milestone) and try the system before it goes live.
Can we stop after the plan?
Yes. The Specification Sprint is a fixed-price package on its own. You own the result and can take it to any developer.
What support is available after it goes live?
Ongoing support through Operate & Evolve, from A$1,990 a month, or pay-as-you-go maintenance, quoted per job. We can help you decide which suits you.

See packages and prices

Next step

Start with a clear plan.

In 5 to 10 business days, from A$7,900, you get a written plan and a fixed-price build quote that you own, whoever builds it. 50% credit applied to Spec when you build with us.

Book a free discovery callAbout the Specification Sprint