Getting started with 1902 Software: From first conversation to project kickoff
Initial meetings: Determining if we're the right fit
Your first conversations happen directly with Peter Skouhus, either through direct outreach or client referral. These short meetings help us understand your project goals and determine whether 1902 Software can deliver what you need.
We say “no, thank you” when:
- The project requires technology outside our expertise
- Time zones don’t overlap sufficiently (we need at least four overlapping hours with GMT+8 for effective collaboration)
- Our current project load doesn’t allow us to give your work proper attention
- We believe another partner would serve your needs better
When your requirements align with our capabilities and we have the team capacity, we introduce you to your project manager for requirements gathering.
Requirements gathering: Defining scope and specifications
You’ll work with a Technical Project Manager who will lead overall coordination.
What happens during requirements gathering
Your project manager schedules meetings to drill into project specifics. These conversations range from discussing simple ad hoc tasks to planning comprehensive system architecture including:
User interface and user experience (UI/UX) design
Features, functionalities, and integrations
Technical specifications and platform requirements
Timeline expectations and constraints
How we add value beyond execution
We leverage decades of software development experience to recommend:
Existing plugins or modules that reduce custom development time
Pre-built themes that can be customized instead of designing from scratch
Best practices and proven approaches based on similar projects we've delivered
Technology choices that balance functionality, maintainability, and budget
Onboarding interview: Understanding your business context
Beyond technical specifications, we conduct an onboarding interview to understand your broader business context. This typically happens alongside your project manager introduction.
Four main areas we explore
Your development experience
- Have you worked with other software developers or agencies?
- What worked well in past collaborations? What didn't?
- Any previous outsourcing or offshoring experiences?
Your expectations and concerns
- What challenges might prevent project success?
- Any concerns about our collaboration, location, or time zone differences?
Project goals and success criteria
- How will you measure project success?
- Critical deadlines or time constraints we should know about?
Company background
- Your company history and market position
- Your role and decision-making authority
- Other context that helps us understand the project's strategic importance
This isn’t a one-sided conversation. We encourage you to ask questions about our company, services, processes, and how our collaboration will work day-to-day.
After the meeting, we prepare a summary report for your project manager(s) to ensure everyone starts with shared understanding.
Switching from another developer
Switching from another developer, freelancer, or development agency to another always takes some time and effort, but taking over existing projects is something we do regularly.
Whether you’re dealing with a stalled project, need ongoing maintenance for a live system, or want to continue development that another team started—we make the transition smooth.
Our takeover process includes:
Software or website review
A technical project manager evaluates:
Source code quality and architecture
Plugins, modules, and dependencies used
Existing integrations with third-party systems
Any modifications to core CMS or platform code
This review identifies potential issues before we assume responsibility, giving you the opportunity to have your previous developer address critical problems before the handoff.
Access request and account verification
We request:
Admin login credentials and source code access
Access to analytics, tag management, and monitoring tools
Verification that key accounts are registered under your name (not tied to your previous supplier)
For stalled projects, we ask for a list of incomplete tasks to assess whether our team can deliver what’s needed. For maintenance takeovers, we typically start with ten tasks—a mix of bug fixes and new features—to confirm we’re a good fit before committing to ongoing support.
We can coordinate directly with your previous supplier to obtain necessary files and credentials if you’d like assistance with that transition.
Project estimation: For smaller and ad hoc projects
For straightforward projects, your project manager prepares a detailed estimate based on requirements gathering discussions.
Our estimate documents include
Basis for the estimate
Clear explanation of how we calculated time and cost, including all specifications and requirements you provided.
Estimate breakdown
Detailed task list with associated time and cost for each deliverable—no hidden line items or surprise additions later.
Working with 1902 Software
Overview of our standard processes and features we implement by default in every project, so you know what to expect throughout our collaboration.
You decide whether to proceed based on this estimate. Either way, there’s no cost for the estimation process.
Project planning: For large-scale development
Projects requiring 200-300+ hours or being built from scratch need comprehensive project planning beyond basic estimation.
A detailed project plan includes:
- Complete development scope and deliverables
- Integration requirements with existing company systems
- Technology stack recommendations with rationale
- Project success criteria and measurement approach
- Phased estimates breaking down the full project timeline
For large projects, your project manager provides:
- A rough price estimate for the complete project
- A fixed price for creating the detailed project plan
You can evaluate whether the rough estimate fits your budget and whether the planning cost is acceptable before we invest significant time in detailed planning.
Why we charge for detailed project planning:
Creating comprehensive project plans involves extensive meetings with stakeholders, technical analysis, and documentation. The nominal fee ensures we're investing this time in projects moving forward, not proposals that may not materialize.
Project kickoff: Starting development
Once you accept the estimate or project plan, we officially begin your project.
What happens next depends on your project type:
- Design process – For projects where we create visual design or provide design consultation
- Development process – For large development initiatives or building new websites, web applications, mobile apps, or custom software from scratch
- Ad hoc support or maintenance – For ongoing support of live systems or day-to-day maintenance of systems developed elsewhere
- System upgrade – For upgrading existing systems to the latest CMS or platform version
- Stalled projects – For taking over incomplete development and bringing projects to completion
Ready to discuss your project?
Whether you’re starting fresh, switching developers, or reviving a stalled project—let’s talk about how 1902 Software can help you move forward.
Book a consultation to explore how our software development process delivers results backed by decades of experience.
Book a consultation to explore how AI and 1902 Software can transform your next ecommerce project — faster, smarter, and more cost-efficient.