Design the right thing
Before you build anything.
We turn foggy ideas into executable blueprints that slash risk, align teams, and unlock predictable budgets.
Why Strategic Consulting?
You're here because…
- Vision is clear — path is not.
- Requirements shift weekly.
- Budgets feel like guesses.
- Previous projects derailed.
And we help by…
- Mapping every process in three zoom levels so everyone finally sees the same picture.
- Converting them into Behaviour-Driven Development (BDD) scenarios that stay in sync with reality.
- Scoring each feature's certainty with our Feature Clarity Index, then matching the fairest billing model.
- Front-loading risk workshops that expose integration, scale, and adoption landmines before sprint 1.
Our Playbook at a Glance
- Kick-off
- Model
- Validate
- Roadmap
Kick-off (½ day)
- Stakeholder canvas
- Success metrics & constraints
Model (3–5 days)
- Three-Layer BPMN (Vision, Business Flow, Technical Layer)
- Process & data pain-point heat-map
Validate (2–3 days)
- BDD discovery sessions → Gherkin scenarios
- Prototype or paper walkthroughs
- Feature Clarity Index scored
Roadmap (1 day)
- Release board with dependencies & quick wins
- Engagement model recommendation (Fixed, T&M, Milestone, Retainer)
- Budget range ±10 % confidence
Total elapsed: 2–3 calendar weeks.
Methods & Artefacts
| Method | Tangible Output | Benefit |
|---|---|---|
| Three-Layer BPMN | L1 strategy map, L2 business flow, L3 system swim-lanes | Executive clarity and developer detail in one living doc. |
| Behaviour-Driven Development | Gherkin acceptance tests linked to BPMN tasks | Requirements become executable specs the dev team can automate. |
| Feature Clarity Index (FCI) | Numeric clarity score per epic | Turns fuzzy features into hard numbers that drive billing choices. |
| Octalysis-powered Workshops | Time-boxed decision games | Keeps energy high, politics low, and outcomes fast. |
Engagement & Billing Options
| Model | When it shines | How we price |
|---|---|---|
| Discovery Sprint | You have a problem, not a spec. | Fixed fee, 2 weeks, set deliverables. |
| Foundation Project (Fixed) | High FCI, stable scope, hard deadline. | Fixed price with milestone payments. |
| Time & Materials | Vision is solid, details still moving. | Weekly burn with cost caps and steering days. |
| DaaS Retainer | Continuous evolution beyond launch. | Predictable monthly rate for a reserved cross-discipline squad. |
We recommend a model only after the FCI score is in.
Sample Timeline ⏱
| Week | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kick-off | L1 BPMN | L2 BPMN | L3 BPMN | Pain-point heat-map |
| 2 | BDD sessions | Prototype sketches | FCI scoring | Risk & dependency board | Budget workshop |
| 3 | Roadmap draft | Review loop | Final sign-off | — | — |
Success Metrics We Track
- Stakeholder Alignment Score (pre vs. post workshops)
- Requirement Volatility (changes per sprint after sign-off)
- Budget Accuracy (forecast vs. actual after 3 months)
- Lead Time to Code (days from sign-off to dev sprint 1)
Typical engagements see volatility drop by > 45 % and first-release lead time cut by ~30 %.
Mini Case Snippets
Absa Life
In two half-day sessions we collapsed a 14-step insurance onboarding maze to 6 clear actions, wrote the BDD tests, and de-risked a seven-figure build before a single Jira ticket was created.
Logistics-Co
Three-Layer BPMN uncovered eight duplicate manual checkpoints; automating them now saves 1 600 staff-hours each quarter.
(Full stories available on request.)
Frequently Asked Questions
Ready to turn strategy into a build-ready plan?
Book a 30-minute Clarity Call and get a structured agenda in your inbox within minutes.
