Preliminaries and Reasons for a Generative Process
Typically, organizations approach us with an idea of what they need and request a budget.
As the word itself suggests, estimating timelines, efforts, knowledge, and costs in these cases involves making assumptions—knowing in advance what scope and complexity we will be working with.
However, often it is not possible to make any assumptions because there are many different ways to meet the same needs, with paths and outcomes that can vary significantly (see, for example, in the case of websites, [link]), or because the organization does not know everything it can achieve with technology, or it does know but is unaware of the associated costs, or it has a budget range but does not know how much each part of the project will cost.
In such cases, to increase clarity and reduce unexpected surprises, we propose investing a short amount of time together for mutual benefit and clarity: a generative process.
Stages of the Generative Process
Step 0: Defining the Project Team and Collaboration Methods
This Step 0 sets the stage for Session 1, but we highlight it because it is not about the project itself, but about the team. It usually takes only a few minutes.
To move forward in the clearest and most efficient way possible, we will form a working team composed of all organizations involved in the project. Ideally, most voices and areas of expertise should be represented so that we can work in a representative and agile manner.
Typically, we meet with around 5 people from the project side, and we are usually 2 people from Sutty.
At this stage, we will also agree on a secure communication channel, the frequency of working sessions, an information and documentation repository, and governance (the decision-making process).
Sutty typically contributes:
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Project management,
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General design (information architecture, interaction, etc.), excluding visual design, which is usually already done or integrated from other cooperatives,
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Technical knowledge related to development and publishing,
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Infrastructure, and
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A free content management system for social projects with low storage requirements, along with training in its use, support in communication/publishing, and digital care practices.
Session 1: Understanding
In this session, we address:
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Context: formalizing and explicitly stating the:
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Characteristics,
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Needs,
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Possibilities, and
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Objectives of the project.
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Information architecture of the website and other potential projects;
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Initial review of the information to be worked on, including correlations and possible dependencies, ensuring internal coherence.
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Any additional information resulting from point 1, if applicable.
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Defining and prioritizing preferred dimensions/criteria for optimization and decision-making among the options to be explored.
Intermediate 1 to 2 (Sutty’s Work)
Between Session 1 and Session 2, Sutty engages in formalization, exploration, and deepening work:
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Formalizing the outcomes of the initial session;
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Searching for and/or generating options, comparing them based on multiple dimensions:
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Already defined (functional, economic, cultural, etc.), and
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Additional dimensions we may add (security, maintenance needs, care for people, etc.).
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Creating a comparative table.
Session 2: Decision-Making
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Presentation of all explored and formalized content, including options, their components, and comparative estimates of various needs, efforts, timelines, and costs.
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Decision-making:
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We explain our recommendations and the reasons behind them.
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The project team shares their perspective.
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The project team makes a formal decision (during the same session or later, asynchronously).
Intermediate 2 to 3 (Sutty’s Work)
Between Session 2 and Session 3, Sutty develops the roadmap.
To do this, we will review and explicitly define the general process, estimate reasonable resources needed (with precision for the subsequent general design stage), take into account previously expressed needs and criteria, and more.
Session 3: Planning and Roadmap
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Based on the project team’s decision, we estimate, present, and explain the roadmap, which includes:
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System components,
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Stages and steps for progress,
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Required knowledge and roles,
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Timeline and cost estimates, and
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If possible, their main factors of variation.
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We answer questions on the spot.
Post-Process Support
For any questions that may arise, we remain available and at your disposal for 15 days.
This support is part of the deliverable and is entirely independent of whether we continue collaborating on the project.
Timelines and Costs
This process, which typically takes between 10 and 20 days, involves approximately 6 to 9 hours from the project team and roughly 25 to 30 hours from three areas of Sutty (infrastructure, development, and UX and Inclusive Design).
If additional sessions are needed due to unforeseen complexities, the necessary time will be allocated without affecting the fixed monetary value, which covers the entire process.
The fee range is as follows:
|
Group |
Fees |
|---|---|
|
Latin American activists |
$250 USD |
|
Rest of the world |
$500 USD |
You choose what you can pay within this range. We trust your decision without requiring explanations.
In any case, if we continue working on the project, these fees will be credited toward the final total. That is, they will be deducted from the final project budget.
To begin the work, we request a 50% advance payment. The remaining 50% is due upon delivery.
If you decide to proceed with this proposal, the next steps are simple:
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We can talk and/or schedule the date and time for the first session (you can use any of our contact methods),
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We will provide you with information on what needs to be prepared to optimize synchronous collaboration time.
And we begin. :)