How I Work

First conversation

My work always starts with a conversation. The purpose is not to sell software or propose solutions, but to understand:

• —How your business actually operates day to day
• —Where time is being lost
• —Which tasks feel repetitive, fragile, or frustrating
• —What "better" would look like from your perspective

Clarifying scope

After the initial conversation, I summarise the problems to be addressed, the systems involved, what's in and out of scope, and what success looks like.

At this stage, I'll often identify quick wins and areas that need exploration. Nothing moves forward until we agree on direction.

Choosing the simplest approach

I am deliberate about not over-engineering solutions. Where appropriate, I first assess existing features in your tools, built-in capabilities, and simple automation options.

Many problems can be solved by tightening how existing tools are used. Bespoke software is introduced only where it clearly adds value.

Development and data safety

I do not experiment directly on production systems. Typical practices include:

• —Starting with read-only access
• —Working with test data, copies, or staging locations
• —Reviewing results together before enabling automation
• —Changes are incremental, reversible, and transparent

Iteration and feedback

Most work proceeds in small, visible steps: demonstrate something useful early, gather feedback, refine or adjust, extend only once value is proven. This avoids long delivery cycles and ensures work stays aligned with real needs.

Deliverables

Deliverables commonly include automation scripts, small bespoke utilities, dashboards or reports, structured datasets, and documentation explaining what was built and how it works. Where AI is involved, I explain clearly what it does and doesn't do.