The Objective
A small, clearly defined technical issue does not need the same level of investigation as a larger infrastructure or network project. The goal is to understand enough to make a responsible decision without creating unnecessary work.
The first part of the ETS process is understanding what is actually happening.
Discovery may include reviewing the existing environment, identifying problems, understanding requirements, considering risks, and determining what needs to change. Depending on the situation, this can involve infrastructure, networking, cybersecurity, systems, applications, automation, documentation, or business processes. The depth of discovery depends on the problem.
Discovery Pricing
Technical discovery is billed at $125 per hour with a two-hour minimum.
Minimum discovery engagement: $250
This may include reviewing configurations, examining infrastructure, tracing dependencies, evaluating existing systems, identifying risks, gathering technical information, or testing assumptions.
The amount of discovery required depends on the environment and the problem being investigated.
ETS does not use a fixed discovery package simply because two projects appear similar from the outside. A small, clearly defined issue may require only the minimum engagement, while a more complex infrastructure, security, or systems problem may require additional time.
Any work beyond the initial minimum is billed at the same $125 hourly rate.
What we look for
- What is working today
- What is creating problems
- What the business needs to accomplish
- Existing technology and constraints
- Risks, dependencies, and limitations
- What actually needs to change
What discovery produces
The purpose of discovery is not simply to spend time examining the environment. It should result in enough understanding to determine what happens next.
Depending on the engagement, that may include:
- A clearly identified problem
- Recommended next steps
- Technical findings
- Identified risks or dependencies
- A proposed project scope
- Enough information to prepare an implementation estimate or proposal
- A determination that no additional work is currently necessary
