A studio promised its creator client an AI social app in a month with one developer. We scoped the real need and had four roles working eight days after the first call.
The studio had promised their client a finished app in one month. Their own team was a single backend developer, and the brief was a rough PRD and requirements sketch.
We read the brief before staffing it, split one expensive hire into two focused specialists, and chose staff augmentation over a fixed-price build so the studio kept control of the product and its margin.
Full-time in month one. Planning, coordination and day-to-day delivery.
Full-time in month one. Built the mobile frontend in React Native and Expo.
A fixed block of hours. Guided the LLM orchestration behind the AI characters.
A fixed block of hours, in a different timezone. Advised on progression, engagement loops and game design.
The placed team worked alongside the studio's in-house backend developer, and the studio's lead reviewed work before it went to their client, so quality control stayed with the people accountable for delivery. The team: a full-time Project Manager and React Native Developer for month one, plus an AI Consultant and a Game Mechanics Advisor on fixed hour blocks across two timezones.
Chose Treat the app as LLM orchestration on the server over Hire a game engine architect for a Unity or Unreal build
The app was a text-based social experience where AI characters react to what users post, so it needed AI expertise rather than a game engine specialist.
Chose An AI consultant and a game mechanics advisor, each on a fixed block of hours over One full-time game engine architect
The studio got the expertise it needed without paying for a full-time senior hire it would not fully use.
Chose Staff augmentation, with the client directing the work over A fixed-price quote for the whole app
With a brief this early, a fixed price would carry a large risk buffer and wipe out the studio's margin on its own deal.
Chose Monthly billing for month one and hourly after, with no outcome-linked pay over Tying the project manager's pay to outcomes
Under staff augmentation the client directs the work, so tying pay to outcomes they control would blur who owns what.
Phase 1
Phase 2
Phase 3
Phase 4
8 days
From first call to a working team
4 roles
Placed across 2 timezones
About 5 weeks
Engagement length, including app store release fixes
The studio went from a rough brief and a single backend developer to a four-role team working alongside them eight days after the first call. The engagement ran about five weeks, including app store release fixes, and the studio kept control of the product and its margin.
We will help you scope what you actually need and put the right people on it.
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