Software Planning Workshop

Before we build an app, a portal, or a business tool, we need
to answer one simple question:

What exactly are we building?

A rough idea is a starting point.

But a useful estimate needs the details: how your business works, who will use the software,
and what the finished system needs to do.

Good software starts with a clear plan.

The Software Planning Workshop turns your idea into a scope everyone can understand and price.

Why This Matters

If you're planning custom software, you've probably
run into some version of this before:

A software quote based on a few emails and a rough feature list

Important requirements discovered halfway through the build

Spreadsheets and disconnected tools that create extra work

A project that keeps growing because the scope was never clear

You wouldn't build a home without deciding the layout, materials, and details first.

Your software needs a blueprint, too.

The scope document is your blueprint: it defines what gets built
before you commit to a larger development project.

A practical plan for your team, your workflow,
and the investment ahead.

What Happens in the Software
Planning Workshop

We begin with a three-hour, in-person or remote
scoping session with you and your team.

We sit down together and work through the details.

It's a working session where we map how your business actually operates, which people
will use the system, and what the software needs to do from start to finish.

Then we review the requirements, check the technical details, and
prepare your scope document and exact estimate in approximately one week.

What We Plan

Together, we work through the details that turn your idea into software
your team can actually use.

Your Business & Project Goals

We start with the problem you need the software to solve:

What is taking too much time

Where errors or delays happen

Who needs to use the system

What success looks like for this project

This keeps the scope focused on a useful business outcome.

Your Current Workflow

Walk us through how the work gets done today:

Where a job or request begins

Who handles each step

Which tools and spreadsheets you use

Where information gets entered more than once

Real examples help us plan around the work your team actually does.

Your Features & Priorities

We separate the essentials from the ideas that can wait:

Must-have features for the first release

Useful additions for a later phase

Clear boundaries for what is included and excluded

Your Data & Integrations

We identify the information and connections the software needs:

Existing records and spreadsheets

Accounting, CRM, or other business systems

Import, export, and reporting needs

Available APIs and third-party limits

We check what can be reused, what must be connected, and what needs further investigation.

Your Technical Foundation

We plan the practical requirements for running the software:

Hosting and deployment

Mobile and desktop use

Security and permissions

Performance and future growth

The scope also identifies expected hosting, licence, and ongoing service costs.

Your Screens & User Flow

We outline the key screens and how people move through the system:

What each user needs to see

What actions they can take

How information moves between steps

Your Build Plan

We organise the project into a practical delivery plan:

What gets built first

Which decisions or inputs are needed

Which risks could affect cost or timing

Your Users & Permissions

We identify the people using the software: staff, managers, customers, or partners.

Each role needs the right access to the right information.

We document who can view, create, approve, and change records.

Your Acceptance Criteria

We define how you will know each important feature is working properly.

That includes key rules, edge cases, and the outcomes your team expects.

Clear acceptance criteria give everyone a shared definition of done.

Your Software Blueprint

In approximately one week after the session and receipt of the required information, we deliver your accurate scope document and exact estimate.

Your written scope and estimate cover:

Features, workflows, and user roles

Integrations, data, and technical requirements

Priorities, delivery phases, and acceptance criteria

The exact price for the agreed scope

The estimate states its assumptions, exclusions, expected timeline, and separate ongoing costs. If a dependency needs more investigation, we flag it before finalising the scope and final estimate.

What Happens Next?

Use your scope document to plan the build with your own team.

Use it to compare proposals from other developers.

Or ask NerdySpider to build the software.

The planning document is yours to use.

Development is a separate decision and a separate quote. Changes to the agreed scope are reviewed and priced before any additional work begins.

You leave with a blueprint and a clear number.

Investment

The investment for the Software Planning Workshop is:

$750

CAD • paid at booking

This includes:

The three-hour, in-person scoping session

Requirements review and technical planning

Your scope document and exact estimate in about one week

The workshop fee covers the planning work.
Software development, hosting, and third-party services
are quoted separately.

Book Your Software Workshop

Who This
Workshop Is For

This workshop is designed for businesses that:

Need a custom app, portal, or internal tool

Want to replace manual work or disconnected systems

Need clarity on features, cost, and timing

Can involve the decision-maker and people doing the work

Bring the people who know the process and can make decisions.
Two or three key team members is a good starting point.

Plan the details before investing in
custom software.

Get Started

Choose a three-hour time slot and pay $750 CAD through the calendar. We meet in person at our Lethbridge office: #1A, 409 5 Street South or via Zoom/Teams if preferred.

Book Your Software Workshop

Before your session:

Bring examples of forms, spreadsheets, and current tools

Invite your decision-maker and key users

List your priorities, budget, and target timeline

Good planning needs your input

A clear problem or workflow to work through

Someone who can make scope and budget decisions

Team members who know the day-to-day process

Time to answer questions and review the written scope

Real examples of the work, with private customer details removed where possible

What you can expect

Three hours of focused, in-person planning

A written scope tailored to your business within 1 week

An exact estimate tied to agreed requirements

Approximately one week to prepare the document after the session and required inputs

A clear view of what is included, excluded, and still dependent on outside information

Separate visibility into hosting, licences, maintenance, and other ongoing costs

A blueprint you can use with NerdySpider, another developer, or your internal team

Questions?

Book a free discovery call if you'd like to confirm fit or discuss the project before purchasing. Booking refunds follow the Cal.com policy: should you need to cancel please do so at least four business days before the session.

Book Your Free Discovery Call

" Our experience with Layne van Rhijn and the Nerdy Spider team was top notch. They are focused on understanding the needs of their clients and then work hard to deliver on that vision. The Nerdy Spider team is professional, collaborative, creative, and they are clear communicators..."

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CAO, Town of Bassano in Alberta

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Josh Mans

Owner, Amiable Organics

"I have dealt with Layne and his team at Nerdy Spider for the past 5 years; both personally and through Dennis’ Dirtworx Ltd. There is no one I would trust more to handle my requests than him and his amazing team. Thank you Layne and team for continuing to make every request come to light!"

Kaley Jensma

Dennis Dirtworx, Coaldale Alberta

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