How the engagement works
Fixed-scope phases. Clear deliverables. Clean handoff. No dependencies.
Built for handoff from day one
I don't build systems that require me. I build systems your team can maintain.
Every phase includes documentation, training, and validation. By the end, your team is self-sufficient—not dependent on me for troubleshooting or changes.
The four phases
Discovery
Timeline: 1-2 weeks
What happens
- I map every data source you have (HubSpot, Shopify, QuickBooks, spreadsheets, databases, APIs)
- Identify bottlenecks and pain points (manual exports, stale dashboards, broken pipelines)
- Define success metrics (What questions need answering? What decisions need real-time data?)
- Recommend architecture (Snowflake vs BigQuery vs Postgres, dbt setup, monitoring approach)
What you get
- Discovery document - detailed inventory and bottleneck analysis
- Architecture plan - recommended stack, data flow diagrams, phased approach
- Project proposal - scope, timeline, and deliverables for Foundation phase
Decision point: You review the plan and decide whether to move forward. No obligation.
Foundation
Timeline: 2-3 weeks
What happens
- Set up your data warehouse (Snowflake, BigQuery, Databricks, or Postgres)
- Connect your first critical data source (usually CRM or revenue system)
- Build initial transformation layer (dbt models for core business logic)
- Implement basic monitoring (pipeline health, data freshness, error alerts)
- Create first dashboard to prove value
What you get
- Working data warehouse with first data source flowing automatically
- dbt project initialized with core models and tests
- Monitoring dashboard showing pipeline health
- First business dashboard proving the system works
- Initial documentation - architecture diagram, data dictionary
Milestone: You can see real data flowing and make your first data-driven decisions.
Expansion
Timeline: 2-4 weeks
What happens
- Connect remaining data sources (marketing, finance, operations, product)
- Build full transformation layer (dbt models for all business logic)
- Create complete dashboard suite (executive, ops, marketing, finance)
- Implement advanced monitoring (anomaly detection, SLA tracking, alert routing)
- Optimize for cost efficiency (incremental loads, compute scheduling, storage patterns)
What you get
- Complete data platform with all sources connected
- Full dbt project with tests, documentation, CI/CD
- Dashboard suite for all teams
- Advanced monitoring catching issues before stakeholders do
- Cost-optimized infrastructure right-sized for growth
Milestone: Your entire organization is making decisions on real-time, trusted data.
Handoff
Timeline: 1 week
What happens
- Deliver complete documentation (runbooks, troubleshooting guides, data dictionary)
- Conduct training sessions (for engineers, analysts, and end users)
- Walk through common scenarios (adding a new data source, creating a new dashboard, debugging a pipeline)
- Set up support plan (Slack channel, email, or retainer for ongoing help)
- Final validation that your team can maintain everything
What you get
- Complete documentation package - architecture, runbooks, data dictionary, troubleshooting
- Trained team - engineers and analysts know how to maintain and extend
- Support plan - clear path for getting help when needed
- Self-sufficiency - you can maintain this without me
Goal achieved: Your team is confident, autonomous, and no longer dependent on me.
What makes this process different
Documentation isn't optional
It's a core deliverable in every phase. You get runbooks, diagrams, data dictionaries, and troubleshooting guides—not "we'll document it later."
Training is built in
Your team learns as we build. By handoff, they're confident—not confused.
Fixed-scope phases
Each phase has clear deliverables and outcomes. No scope creep, no surprises.
You own the system
No black boxes. No dependencies. Clean infrastructure your team can maintain.
After handoff: Ongoing support options
You're self-sufficient, but support is available if you need it:
As-Needed Support
Slack or email for questions. Typically resolves in <24 hours. Billed hourly or in small blocks.
Best for: Teams who rarely need help but want a safety net.
Monthly Retainer
Ongoing improvements, new data sources, new dashboards, optimization. Budgeted hours per month.
Best for: Teams who want continuous evolution of their data platform.
No support needed
Many teams don't need ongoing support. That's by design—I built your system to be maintainable. If you never call me again, that's a success.
Ready to get started?
Book a 20-minute call to discuss your project. We'll talk about your data challenges, whether this process is a good fit, and next steps.