Discovery Sprint: Feasibility, Stack and Estimate Before You Build
A Discovery Sprint is a fixed-price, written plan for a software idea or a big new feature, made before you commit a build budget. It covers feasibility, stack, build vs buy and an estimate range. It is for founders and small teams. Prices start from $390 ($300 founding), and Starter takes about a week.
See a sample report, proposal and weekly update- Price
- from $390
- Founding
- from $300
- Timeline
- ~1 week
- Format
- Fixed scope, fixed price
- Hours
- US Eastern Time, async
Who this is for.
A good fit if
- Founders who have an idea, a budget ceiling and several developer quotes that don’t agree.
- Small teams about to add a large feature (billing, integrations, AI, multi-tenant) to an existing app.
- Agencies that need a technical plan before they quote their own client (white-label).
Common triggers
- Developer quotes that differ by a factor of three or more.
- “Should we use a SaaS tool, or build it ourselves?”
- A non-technical founder about to hire their first developer.
Not a fit if
- You need a pitch deck, market research or UX design. This sprint is technical planning only.
- You want a binding fixed price for the whole build today. You get an estimate range, and the fixed quote comes after scope is agreed.
What I do, and what you get.
What I do
- Read your brief, existing notes, mockups and any code, then send written questions.
- Map the core user flows and the data they touch.
- Check the risky parts first: third-party APIs, payments, AI output, data volume and hosting limits.
- Compare two or three stack or build-vs-buy options, with the tradeoffs spelled out.
- Split the scope into must-have, later and never, then estimate each part as a range.
- Walk you through the plan on one call, or by recorded video if you prefer async.
What you get
- A written discovery report (usually 6–15 pages) covering the problem, flows, risks, recommended stack and the build-vs-buy decision.
- A scoped feature list with an estimate range per item, plus the assumptions behind each range.
- A phased plan: a first release you can launch, and what comes after it.
- A fixed quote for the first build phase, if you want me to build it.
- Handover notes: open questions and what to verify before spending more.
Your part
- A decision maker who answers written questions within 2 business days.
- Existing material: brief, sketches, competitor examples, and repo access if code exists.
- Account access or docs for any third-party service you already rely on.
Included
- Feasibility and risk check
- Stack and build-vs-buy comparison
- Scoped feature list with estimate ranges
- One walkthrough call or video
- Fixed quote for phase 1
Not included
- Market research or business plan
- UI/UX design or branding
- Binding fixed price for the whole build
- Weekly meetings
- Code (except the small spike in Plus)
Fixed prices, agreed before work starts.
One product or feature, up to 3 core flows, one stack recommendation, estimate range. Fee credited toward a build of $1,000 or more approved within 30 days.
Up to 6 flows, 2–3 options compared, build-vs-buy table, phased plan
Standard, plus a data-model sketch and one technical spike (a small proof of the riskiest integration)
Build your scope
- Timeline
- ~1 week
- Payment
- Paid in full before work starts
- Earliest start
- Oct 5
The fee is credited in full toward a follow-on project of $1,000+ approved within 30 days.
Not a commitment. I confirm the exact price in a written proposal.Founding price: 3 of 7 spots left, until Mar 31, 2027 — one-off work, in return for a testimonial. How it works
Prices are in USD, paid by bank transfer against an invoice. Work under $1,000 is paid upfront; larger work is 50% to start and 50% before handover, or monthly milestones. The full fee of this service is credited toward a follow-on project of $1,000 or more that you approve within 30 days.How working together works
Variations
- New product
- The focus is the first release and the stack choice.
- New feature in an existing app
- Includes a short read of the relevant code and data model.
- Agency (white-label)
- The report goes out under your name, and I don’t contact your client unless you ask.
How it runs.
- 01
Email your idea
Email your idea using the template below, and I reply within 1 US business day.
- 02
Confirm and prepay
I confirm the plan and send a prepaid invoice by bank transfer.
- 03
Written questions
I ask written questions and you answer async, in one or two rounds.
- 04
Report and walkthrough
I deliver the report and we walk through it on one call or a recorded video.
- 05
You decide
Build with me using the credit, take the plan elsewhere, or stop.
Where I have done this before.
Hospital Website & Serial Booking System
A written requirements document plus technical and non-technical overviews for a bilingual booking system (built, not yet live).
Read the case study →SaaS backend · Cloud marketplaceLicensing & Entitlement Platform
A production system documented in 99 verified pages, planned and led from the start.
Read the case study →Questions buyers ask.
Is the estimate a fixed price?
No. It is a range with its assumptions written down. The phase-1 quote in the report is fixed.
Can I take the plan to another developer?
Yes. The report is yours to use with anyone.
Do you sign an NDA?
Yes, a simple mutual NDA.
What if the answer is “don’t build it”?
Then the report says so and explains why. That is one of the useful outcomes.
Do we need meetings?
One walkthrough. Everything else can be written.
Ask about Discovery Sprint.
Tell me what you have and where it hurts. I reply within one US business day with either a fixed quote or the entry step that makes a fixed quote possible.
Helpful to include
- Your name and company
- What you want to build, in 3–5 sentences
- Who uses it
- Any existing code, stack or tools
- Budget range
- Target launch date and why
- Who approves the spend
More in Discovery & Technical Planning
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Second Opinion on a Quote
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