Minimum Development Start small, check as you go, then grow.

Does it fit, how is the cost built, and what happens in the first three months? Everything to know before you commission, on one page.

When it fits — and when it does not

The table scrolls sideways

Aspect	A good fit	Not a fit
Requirements	Not settled yet; you want to decide by using it.	The specification is complete and will not change.
Size	You can narrow the first release to one thing.	You want a large system delivered in one go.
Your involvement	Someone can try it and give feedback a few times a month.	You would rather hand it over and not look until it is done.
Budget	You want to see each month’s usage and decide whether to continue.	You want the total fixed up front and unchanged after.

Even if you land in “not a fit”, start with the free consultation — a different approach may work.

The price has three parts. Amounts are published on the Pastoral Dog site, so here we explain only what each part pays for.

Monthly plan: Reserves the team’s time each month. It scales with how much you build and can be reviewed monthly.

Base agreement: The terms that stay the same month to month: how work runs, the team, security.

Running costs: Servers and third-party services, charged as used and shown separately in the quote.

The table scrolls sideways

Why it moves	How to keep it small
The first release keeps growing — “this too, and that”.	Pick one thing to run in month one; put the rest on a “next” list.
The line between in-house and outsourced is blurry.	Decide, line by line in the consultation, who owns operations, support and data.
It is unclear how to connect to existing systems and data.	Start unconnected with a manual step; connect only when it becomes necessary.
Nobody is named as the user, so feedback never arrives.	Name one first user and build for that person’s day.

A typical shape. Your actual plan comes in writing with the proposal.

The table scrolls sideways

Month	What happens	What you see	What you decide
Month 1	Observe the first user’s day; build one working thing.	A screen you can actually use. A breakdown of time spent.	Keep using it, or change direction.
Month 2	Apply the feedback; add one item from the “next” list.	A list of what changed. The first breakdown of running costs.	Widen the user group, or keep it narrow.
Month 3	Confirm the in-house scope; write down the operating procedure.	A summary of three months’ time and cost. A proposal for the next three.	Continue, pause, or move to Lab Development.

If you want to keep learning and improving as you build, AI-Native Lab Development may fit.

Nothing needs to be decided yet. We look at the fit together. Gains Line sends the first reply.