Engagements
Ways to work together.
Most complex systems do not start fully defined. Risk is highest early, but least visible. Engagements exist to surface and reduce that risk deliberately.
Our seven-phase model gives a shared path from discovery to long-term support. It applies whether the work is software, hardware, or a mixed system in the field.
These are not fixed packages. They are structured ways to start.
Phase 1
Discovery & Requirements Analysis
Phase 2
Solution Design
Phase 3
Project Planning
Phase 4
Implementation & Deployment
Phase 5
Testing & Commissioning
Phase 6
Training & Handover
Phase 7
Support & Maintenance
Discovery Sprint
Understand operational risk early.
This is appropriate when the problem is real but the constraints are still unknown. The goal is to avoid false certainty and make the next decision defensible.
- Clear understanding of constraints
- Identified risks and unknowns
- Decision-ready next steps
Unknowns collapsing into clarity
Field Prototype
Validate assumptions in reality.
Lab success is not enough. This step tests behavior in the field and turns signals into design decisions.
- Learning > speed
- Signal > polish
- Constraints > assumptions
Production Platform
Establish the operating layer.
This is the transition from bespoke build to a system that can be operated repeatedly. Operational concerns dominate here.
A supporting system like Hermes may be used to keep state, rollout policy, and accountability consistent.
Operating layer in context
Devices
Signals and control
Field
Constraints and context
Ops layer
Policy and lifecycle
People
Decisions and response
Fleet Operations & Support
Operate with confidence over time.
Systems improve through operation. Long-term ownership keeps decisions grounded and preserves system knowledge.
This is where trust is earned and Hermes feels inevitable.
Continuity over time
Stabilize and document operational behavior
Reduce drift and refine rollout policy
Evolve safely without losing context
Engagements map to seven phases.
Each engagement aligns to a set of phases so ownership stays intact. Not every team starts at phase one, but movement is deliberate and connected.
Discovery Sprint
Clarify constraints and align on the right path.
Field Prototype
Turn signals into design decisions in real conditions.
Production Platform
Move from one-off build to repeatable operations.
Fleet Operations & Support
Maintain reliability as systems evolve over time.
Seven-phase model
The same model applies to software-only projects, hardware programs, and mixed systems that need to operate over time.
Who this is for.
Best fit:
- Software, hardware, or mixed systems expected to run in the field
- Teams moving beyond prototypes
- Operators carrying long-term risk
- Systems expected to last
Not a fit:
- One-off builds with no operational ownership
- Teams optimizing for speed over reliability
- Programs without long-term accountability
Start a conversation.
Share what you know, what you do not, and where the operational risk sits. There is no expectation of a polished brief.
The first step is a working session to align on constraints and the next decision gate.
Talk to an engineer