How We Work → Dev-as-a-Service (DaaS) Retainer
A product squad on tap — from blank canvas to continuous evolution.
DaaS gives you a reserved, cross-disciplinary team that can discover, design, build, ship and run your software under one rolling agreement. It was born from the Development-as-a-Service Playbook we've refined across 40+ projects.
DaaS in 60 Seconds
What it is
A full-stack pod (PM, architect, FE, BE, QA, DevOps) booked in monthly blocks.
Why it exists
Projects rarely end at 'launch'. They morph. DaaS removes the stop-start friction (new SOW, ramp-up, context switch) every time the roadmap shifts.
When to use
1) Green-field ideas with fuzzy scope and ongoing roadmap, or 2) products already live that need constant evolution & ops.
Billing
Fixed monthly fee per FTE, adjustable ±1 FTE with 30-day notice.
Where DaaS Fits in the FCI World
| FCI Band | Typical Model | When DaaS Works |
|---|---|---|
| 0–4 | Discovery Sprint | Use a mini DaaS (1–2 FTE) to explore & prototype rapidly. |
| 5–7 | Sprint Pod (cap) | Convert to DaaS once velocity & team chemistry stabilise. |
| 8–10 | Fixed-Scope Pack | Skip the pack if you want backlog fluidity and a single contract; DaaS can still deliver the same milestones. |
Key insight: DaaS handles fixed deliverables inside a rolling retainer by freezing mini-backlog "slices" and time-boxing them. Expectations stay clear; contract churn disappears.
Squad Composition & Roles
| Role | FTE Range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Product / Delivery Lead | 0.3-0.6 | Combines PM & BA duties, steers backlog vs. budget. |
| Solution Architect | 0.2-0.5 | Owns data, integration & non-functional decisions. |
| Front-End Dev | 0.5-1 | SvelteKit, LWC, Tailwind craft. |
| Back-End / Apex Dev | 0.5-1 | Django, Apex, integration glue. |
| QA Engineer | 0.2-0.5 | BDD automation + performance tests. |
| DevOps / SRE | 0.1-0.3 | CI/CD, observability, infra tweaks. |
Minimum retainer: 3 FTE blended. Scale clause: ±1 FTE with 30-day notice.
Operating Rhythm
| Cadence | Event | Outputs |
|---|---|---|
| Weekly | Sprint Planning & Demo | Committed backlog slice • Prototype/working increment |
| Bi-weekly | Steering Day | Budget burn, FCI delta, risk heat-map |
| Monthly | OKR Check-in | KPI trend, roadmap reprioritisation |
| Quarterly | Value Review | ROI scorecard, contract right-size discussion |
All ceremonies are open-door — you're welcome on every call or can just watch the dashboards.
Budgeting & Forecasting
- Base burn = agreed FTE × blended rate.
- Stretch buffer = up to +10 % hours, pre-authorised for urgent spikes.
- Change logging — every add/trim in resources or scope is captured in the Steering Day journal and reflected on the dashboard.
- Rate review every six months against CPI and skill mix.
Historical data shows a 12-15 % effective saving vs. serial fixed-price or capped T&M when the roadmap spans > 6 months.
Governance & Transparency
- Live Dashboards — velocity, escaped defects, budget burn, FCI trend.
- Quality Gates — same static analysis / test-coverage thresholds as Fixed projects.
- Decision Log — any backlog, budget or team change stamped by Product Owner + Delivery Lead.
Pros & Watch-outs
👍 Strengths
- Continuous momentum—no re-ramp
- One contract, flexible scope
- Lower blended rate over time
- Matches product-ops mindset
⚠️ Things to Manage
- Scope creep if backlog isn't ruthlessly prioritised
- Requires an engaged Product Owner on client side
- Harder to predict long-range cost without FCI discipline
- May look "expensive" vs. single fixed bid (only on paper)
Mitigation: we freeze backlog slices inside each sprint and maintain FCI scoring to keep surprises away.
Case Snapshot
FinTech-Co — Started with a 4-FTE DaaS squad on a green-field lending platform. Stage 1: Discovery → MVP shipped in 10 weeks. Stage 2: added 2 FTEs for regulatory features, then Stage 3: scaled down to 3 FTEs post-launch for optimisation. Churn < 2 % and NPS 9.6/10 across 18 months.
Frequently Asked Questions
Want perpetual momentum with one simple agreement?
Schedule a 30-minute fit call and receive a draft DaaS footprint plus cost range within 48 hours.
Book the DaaS Fit Call