Fixed-scope project readiness checklist

A fixed-scope quote is only as good as the scope it's based on. Vague inputs get vague numbers — padded to cover the unknowns, or too low to survive contact with reality. This is what we actually need from you to give a number that holds.

Print or save this — work through it before you request a quote

1. The one-sentence version

• Can you describe what the product does in one sentence, without "and also"?
• If not, that's the first thing to fix — not the quote.

2. The core workflow

• What's the one thing a user does in this product that matters most?
• What does that flow look like, screen by screen, even roughly sketched?
• What's explicitly not in v1? (This list matters as much as what's in.)

3. Users and access

• Who are the first real users — by name or by segment, not "everyone"?
• Does the product need accounts/login for v1, or can that wait?
• Any compliance or data-handling requirement you already know about (health data, payments, minors, a specific region's law)?

4. Integrations

• Payments? Which processor, which countries?
• Notifications — email, SMS, push?
• Any third-party API the product depends on (maps, identity, existing internal systems)?
• Each "yes" here is real scope — list them, don't assume they're free.

5. Platform

• Web, iOS, Android, or more than one for v1?
• If more than one — is that because users genuinely need it on day one, or because it feels safer to cover all bases? (It's usually the second one. Start with one.)

6. Design

• Do you have wireframes, a rough sketch, or reference apps you like — or is design part of what you're hiring for?
• Either is fine. Just know which one you're asking for, since it changes the timeline.

7. Timeline and budget honesty

• What date actually matters, and why (a demo, a fundraise, a launch commitment)?
• What's your real budget range — not to negotiate down from, but so the scope can be sized to fit it, honestly, instead of over-promising.

What to do with this

Bring your answers — even half-filled — to a 15-minute build-readiness call. We'll use it to give you a rough scope, the likely risks, and the next sensible step, even if we're not the right studio for it. If you'd rather send it in writing first, use the contact form — the "what are you building" field is exactly where this belongs.