Services

Overview

I help SMEs and start-ups building complex software systems make better technical decisions and avoid expensive mistakes.

I provide independent, experience-based judgement on architecture, delivery commitments, and technical risk - particularly where the consequences of getting it wrong are significant and on the kinds of problems that benefit from experience rather than headcount.

With 30 years’ experience across embedded systems, security-critical software, and large cross-platform applications, I have worked hands-on, led teams, and advised in environments where reliability, security, and long-term maintainability genuinely matter.

I work on short, clearly scoped advisory engagements rather than day-to-day delivery roles.

How I Help

Architecture & design reality checks

A pragmatic, experience-based view on whether an approach will hold up in practice - and where it may create problems later. I’m particularly interested in problems involving integration complexity, architectural clarity, and systems that have become difficult to reason about.

This often includes:

• Architectural clarity
• Maintainability
• Integration boundaries
• Operational complexity
• Long-term changeability

Credible estimates, options & trade-offs

Helping businesses understand what different technical approaches are likely to cost in engineering time, complexity, and risk - so commitments are made with open eyes rather than optimistic assumptions.

Technical risk & recovery

Rapid assessment of struggling projects to identify what is actually going wrong and what needs to change.

• Where complexity is accumulating
• Which assumptions are creating risk
• Which engineering challenges and behaviours are problemtatic
• What needs to change to restore delivery confidence

Independent due diligence

Independent assessment of:

• Software suppliers
• Inherited systems
• Codebases
• Architectural approaches
• Technical delivery plans

Providing a clear, unbiased view of capability, maintainability, quality and risk.

Security fundamentals (TLS / PKI)

Guidance on authentication, encryption, certificate management, and secure communications - ensuring the basics are sound without unnecessary complexity.

Support for founders and non-technical stakeholders

Translating technical detail into clear business implications - risks, trade-offs, and likely outcomes. Helping translate ambiguous business goals into coherent technical direction and realistic delivery expectations.

Providing clarity

Helping organisations think clearly about difficult technical systems.

Typical Engagements

• 1–5 day architecture or system reviews
• Technical risk assessments
• Short advisory retainers (e.g. 1–2 days per month)
• Technical due diligence (pre- or post-investment)
• Mentoring for senior engineers or engineering managers

How I Work

I take on short, well-defined advisory engagements where independent judgement adds the most value. My role is to review, challenge, and advise - not to own delivery or become embedded long-term.

I focus on clarity, proportionate solutions, and helping teams make decisions they won’t regret later.

What Clients Value

• Calm, experience-based judgement
• Clear communication with both technical and non-technical stakeholders
• A pragmatic focus on what matters now, not theoretical perfection
• Independent advice with no interest in empire-building or follow-on work

Availability

Short, occasional engagements by arrangement. UK-based, remote-first, with on-site work where it adds genuine value.