Working with Tyrcom: What to Expect from First Call to Launch
A step-by-step walkthrough of a Tyrcom project: the first conversation, discovery, design, development in two-week sprints, launch and what happens afterwards.
Starting a software project with a new partner involves a lot of unknowns: How does the process work? How often will we talk? When will we see something? What happens if priorities change? What happens after launch?
This article answers those questions for projects with Tyrcom. It describes, step by step, what working with us looks like, from your first message to launch and beyond. No surprises, no jargon.
Step 1: First contact
You reach out through our contact form or by e-mail with a short description of what you are planning. It does not need to be polished; a few sentences about the problem, the users and your timeline are enough.
What we do: an engineer, not a salesperson, reads your message and replies within one business day, usually with a few questions to make the first call productive.
Step 2: Introductory call (30–45 minutes)
A conversation about your business, the problem you want to solve, who will use the software, what exists today and what success looks like. We will ask about integrations, data, constraints and budget range, because these shape every recommendation.
What you get: an honest first opinion. That may be a rough budget range and a suggested approach, a recommendation to start with a smaller first release, or occasionally the advice that an off-the-shelf product would serve you better. See custom software vs. off-the-shelf SaaS.
Step 3: Proposal
For well-defined projects, we prepare a written proposal with scope, approach, team, timeline and price. For larger or less defined projects, we propose a discovery phase first, because a reliable estimate requires deeper understanding.
What you get: a clear document with assumptions and exclusions stated explicitly, so you know exactly what is and is not included.
Step 4: Discovery (typically 2–4 weeks)
A short, fixed-price phase in which we work closely with your team:
- Workshops on goals, users and workflows
- Interviews with the people who will use the software
- Review of existing systems, integrations and data
- Prioritized feature list and release plan
- Clickable prototype of the key screens
- Technical architecture and a detailed estimate
What you get: deliverables that belong to you, whether or not you continue with us. More on this in our article about the product discovery phase.
Step 5: Agreement
We agree on the engagement model that fits: a fixed price for a defined scope, time and materials with a budget cap, or a dedicated team for long-term development. See our guide to engagement models.
Every agreement states that you own the intellectual property for code written for you, and that you have access to the source code repository from day one.
Step 6: Design
Our designers turn the prototype into a complete design: screens, components and states, based on a consistent design system. You review and comment directly in the design tool. Changes at this stage are quick and inexpensive.
Step 7: Development in two-week sprints
Development is organized in two-week iterations:
- Sprint planning: we agree on priorities for the next two weeks.
- Daily work: visible in a shared project board; questions answered in a shared channel.
- Weekly check-in: a short call on progress, decisions and risks.
- Sprint demo: working software, on a staging environment you can access and test yourself.
Quality is part of every sprint: code review on every change, automated tests for critical logic, continuous integration and security practices by default.
What you get: visible progress every two weeks, and the ability to adjust priorities based on what you see.
What we need from you
The most successful projects have an engaged client. We ask for:
- A product owner who can make decisions and answer questions within a day or two
- Participation in sprint demos and feedback on what you see
- Timely access to systems, test accounts, data and stakeholders
- Honesty about changing priorities, so we can adapt the plan together
Handling changes
Requirements change as you see working software and learn from users. That is expected. When something new comes up, we show its impact on time and budget before work starts, and you decide whether to add it, swap it for something of similar size or postpone it.
Step 8: Testing and launch
Before launch, we run a stabilization phase: end-to-end testing, performance and security checks, data migration rehearsals and user acceptance testing with your team. Launch itself is planned carefully, often starting with a pilot group, with monitoring in place from the first minute.
What you get: a calm launch, documentation, admin training and a warranty period for defects.
Step 9: After launch
Software keeps improving after launch. Depending on your needs, we continue with:
- Maintenance: monitoring, security updates, framework upgrades, backups and bug fixes, with defined response times.
- Continuous development: new features based on user feedback and business priorities.
- A dedicated team for products under active development.
Read more in software maintenance plans. If you ever decide to bring development in-house or move to another partner, we hand over the code, documentation and access in an orderly way.
Typical timeline
| Phase | Typical duration |
|---|---|
| First contact to introductory call | A few days |
| Proposal | About one week |
| Discovery | 2–4 weeks |
| Design and development of the first release | 6 weeks to 6 months |
| Stabilization and launch | 2–3 weeks |
| Maintenance and further development | Ongoing |
See how long it takes to build a web application for more detail.
Frequently asked questions
Do you work with companies outside New Mexico?
Yes. Most of our clients are elsewhere in the United States. We work remotely with clear routines and travel for important workshops when it helps. Learn more about software development in Albuquerque.
Can we start with something small?
Absolutely. A discovery phase, a technical audit or a focused first release are good ways to get to know each other before larger commitments.
Who will we work with?
Senior engineers and designers. The people you meet in the first calls are the people who work on your project.
What if we already have a development team?
We can work alongside your team on specific parts, provide architecture and code review, or take responsibility for a defined area.
Let's talk
The best way to find out whether we are a good fit is a conversation. Tell us about your project, and an engineer will reply within one business day. You can also learn more about Tyrcom or see the products we build and run ourselves.
