How we work — Engagement models
How we engage, and who carries which risk.
Four models. The right one depends on how much of the scope is genuinely known, and being honest about that at the start saves both of us a difficult conversation in month three.
Softrear works on four engagement models: fixed scope for bounded work such as discovery and MVPs, time and materials for evolving product work, a dedicated team for long-horizon roadmaps, and outcome-based engagements where a single business metric can be agreed and measured.
The four models
| Model | Best for | You control | We carry |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fixed scope | Discovery, audits, MVPs and proofs of concept — bounded work, stable requirements | The scope ceiling | Delivery risk within the agreed scope |
| Time & materials | Evolving product work where the roadmap changes with what you learn | Direction, week to week | Transparency — you see the same board we do |
| Dedicated team | Long-horizon roadmaps. Fixed monthly commitment, flexible scope | Priorities and roadmap | Team stability and continuity |
| Outcome-based | A single measurable business result both sides can define without ambiguity | The metric | A share of the commercial risk |
Where to start
Three bounded entry engagements, each two weeks, each ending with a document you keep whether or not you continue with us. Tell us which one fits and we will come back with scope and commercial terms.
- Discovery Sprint — 2 weeks — architecture document, risk register and delivery plan
- AI Readiness Assessment — 2 weeks — data audit, three scored use cases, reference architecture
- Fleet Data Audit — 2 weeks — OEM feed assessment and integration architecture
- Dedicated team — a standing squad, shaped around your roadmap and seniority needs
What shapes an engagement
- Seniority mix. A team that is all senior is not automatically better; a team with no senior is always worse.
- Regulatory scope. Audit trails, data residency and evidence collection are real engineering work, not paperwork.
- Whether we are building new or working inside code someone else wrote. The second is usually slower to start and faster to finish.
- How quickly you can make decisions. This affects delivery more than most clients expect.
What we will not do
We will not commit to a fixed number for work whose scope we cannot see, because the only way to make that safe is to pad it, and you pay for the padding either way. If the scope is genuinely unknown, we will say so and propose discovery first.
Tell us what’s stuck.
A senior engineer reads every one of these. If we’re not the right fit we’ll say so, and point you at someone who is.
No spam, no drip sequence. A senior engineer replies within one business day.