Work with us · Cygnus · from Albireo to Deneb

How we work

The same four steps we use on our own apps.

Notice, Focus, Craft, and Ship and tend. Client work runs in the same order, to the same standard, as Trinetra and Urban Hood.

The four steps · 01 to 04

One star for each step.

We are named after Cygnus, the swan. Each step is one of its stars. Here is what happens at each one, what you get, and where you come in.

Step 01 of 04 · β Cygni · Albireo · the double star

Every product starts with a real problem. Yours, or one we have felt while building our own apps.

What happens: We get precise about who the product is for and the problem they have. It should fit in one sentence, without hedging.
What you get: Positioning and messaging, a name if you need a new one, and a direction for the visual identity.
How you're involved: You bring what you know about your users. We ask who the person is before we ask how big the market is.
Typical duration: 1 to 2 weeks

Step 02 of 04 · η Cygni

We cut scope until the product does one thing well. Features earn their place. Nothing ships by default.

What happens: We cut scope before any screen is designed. Good ideas that are not essential yet wait until later.
What you get: A focused v1 scope, where every feature is there for a reason, and a list of what waits.
How you're involved: You make the final call on what stays in v1. We give you our reason for every cut.
Typical duration: 1 to 2 weeks

Step 03 of 04 · γ Cygni · Sadr

We design and build with care: calm interfaces, honest copy, and details that respect the person using them.

What happens: Design and engineering run as one thread. Deployment is set up at the start of the build.
What you get: User flows, high-fidelity interface design, a reusable design system, prototypes to test with real users, and web or native mobile builds.
How you're involved: You test prototypes with your users, and you always know where the work stands without having to ask.
Typical duration: 6 to 10 weeks

Step 04 of 04 · α Cygni · Deneb

We release early, listen closely and keep improving. A product is a commitment that lasts well past launch day.

What happens: We release a smaller, honest v1 early, then correct it against real use with small, timely changes.
What you get: A shipped, live v1, a codebase built to be handed over, and a roadmap for what comes after launch.
How you're involved: You decide whether we keep going after launch. If we do, it runs as a monthly retainer.
Typical duration: About 2 weeks to launch, then monthly if you continue

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Working rhythm

The studio is in Bengaluru, India. We work with founders and businesses worldwide.

One team: The people who set the positioning also design the screens and write the code.
Studio time zone: India Standard Time (UTC+5:30)
Overlap with US and EU: About four hours a day with Europe. US calls are booked ahead, in our evening.
Meetings: A weekly review call and a short written update
Tools: Figma, GitHub, Slack, Google Meet
Replies: Usually within a couple of days

Handover

We hold your code to the standard we hold our own apps to, because we keep living with those.

Clean, documented and ready for your next engineer. It meets the standard we hold our own apps' code to.

CI/CD and deployment are set up at the start of the build, so launch week is about the launch.

Support and continuing product work after launch, if you want us on it. It runs as its own engagement, on a monthly retainer.

Step one

Tell us what you are building and who it is for. We read every message and reply ourselves. Prefer to talk? Book a 20-minute call.