It often starts with "I've been working with this guy…"
Projects get into trouble for many reasons, but one pattern comes up again and again. We call it The Guy Syndrome. A capable freelancer takes on the project, and at first things go well. As the system grows, so do the problems, until the developer is overwhelmed, burns out or simply disappears. What's left is a half-finished system, a business that depends on it, and often a dispute over who owns the source code. That should never happen.
The hardest part isn't the code
In our experience, rescuing a project is as much about people as about technology. By the time a client calls us, they have often spent months trying to steady a listing ship. Trust is damaged, nerves are frayed, and everyone is tired. So we start by rebuilding confidence:
- Regular, timely and precise communication, so everyone knows exactly where things stand.
- An always-open channel, where concerns can be raised, and frustration vented, before they turn into conflict.
- Calm focus on the outcome the business actually needs.
Our rescue path
- Project Initiation: we hear the history, the current status and what caused the distress.
- Project Audit: we assess the supplier relationship, ownership of the intellectual property, the time and money already invested, the documentation, the technology, and how complete and robust the system really is.
- Project Restoration: we get the code running in a safe development environment, fix the most urgent problems first, then test, run user acceptance testing and go live.
- Project Continuation: ongoing maintenance and improvements, properly resourced and governed by a service level agreement.
Cheapest is not best value
Hiring the cheapest developer often turns out to be the most expensive decision of all. We can't undo that, but we can make sure the next phase is built on solid ground, and that you own your source code, always.
Is your project in trouble? Talk to us before it gets worse. Book a free 60-minute session, or send Thomas a WhatsApp message.