Architecture review
Your data model, services and hosting, read for where they will break as you grow and where the business rules should live. The SPSTARPLAST ERP, for example, keeps its core calculations in PostgreSQL functions and triggers.
What gets reviewed
Six kinds of review, each grounded in shipped work
Each review ends in a written plan: what to keep, what to change, what to build first and where the risks are.
Stack and build-or-buy
Whether to buy a package, build custom, or keep the commodity parts and build only what is specific to you. Background reading: build vs buy vs hybrid.
Vendor proposal review
A second opinion on quotes from development firms: scope gaps, unrealistic timelines and contract terms to fix before you sign. See how to compare proposals.
AI feasibility check
Can a model do the job reliably on your documents? Answered with a measurement on data the model has not seen, the way Otocropper was tested on a held-out 238-page book.
Codebase handover review
Before you take over software from another developer: what you are inheriting, how it is documented and what it will cost to keep running. The model is the ERP handover, which came with English documentation and a written technical-debt report.
Google Ads automation review
Whether your account needs the Google Ads API or a few Scripts are enough, based on running an API engine that generates 2,000+ ads for a medical practice. See Scripts vs API.
How it works
From a first call to a plan you can act on
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First call
What decision you are facing, what exists today and what you need to know before you commit.
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Access and reading
Code, documents, proposals or sample data, read with the decision in mind rather than as a generic audit.
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Written plan
What to keep, what to change, what to build first and the risks, in plain language your team and your vendors can use.
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Walkthrough
A call to go through the plan and your questions. If you want it built, that can be the next step; it does not have to be.
Free reading
Guides written from the same experience
If you are early in a decision, these may answer your question before you need a call.
Questions
IT consulting FAQ
What does IT consulting from Stratagem Systems include?
Architecture reviews, stack and build-or-buy decisions, reviews of vendor proposals, AI feasibility checks on your own data, reviews of code you are about to take over, and Google Ads automation reviews. Each one ends in a written plan.
Who does the consulting?
Savas Tutumlu, the founder of Stratagem Systems. He still writes the code for the studio's projects, so the advice comes from current hands-on work.
When is it worth paying for a review?
Before a decision that is expensive to reverse: signing a development contract, choosing between building and buying, committing to an AI feature, or taking over a codebase from another developer.
How do I compare development proposals?
Compare scope, ownership and acceptance terms, not just the rate. The proposal comparison guide and the contract terms guide go through it.
Can you build what you recommend?
Yes, if you want that. The plan is written so that your own team or another vendor can build it too.
How is a review priced?
The price is agreed after a first call, based on what has to be reviewed. Market rates for comparison are in the software development pricing guide.
You talk to the person who writes the code. Savas Tutumlu founded Stratagem Systems in Houston in 2023 and now works from Istanbul.
Facing a decision that is expensive to undo?
Bring the proposal, the codebase or the idea. You'll leave the first call knowing what needs to be checked and what the plan would cover.
Or email info@stratagem-systems.com