martinhillscom

same steps, every time

How I work

The same five steps every time, whether it’s a quick fix or something bigger. They go round in a circle, because sorting one thing usually shows up the next.

you decide, always

Listen, see, decide, do, learn.

  1. listen

    You

    You tell me what’s going on, as you see it. Usually that’s the owner, and sometimes whoever does the day-to-day work as well, because they often know where the real problems are. I mostly listen, then I write up what I heard and check I’ve got it right.

  2. see

    Me

    I look at the tools and the actual data, and follow a few everyday jobs through your systems. It’s nearly always a bit different from how everyone thinks it works, and that’s usually where the useful stuff is. Then I draw how it all fits together, as it is and as it could be.

  3. decide

    You

    I give you the options and what I’d do, with a rough cost for each. It’s your call, and we write down what you’ve decided so nobody has to remember it later.

  4. do

    Me

    I design it and build it, whether that’s connecting what you’ve got, making something new or getting the data in shape. I show you as it takes shape, so there are no surprises, and walk you through how it all works at the end.

  5. learn

    Together

    A few weeks later we check it’s actually made things easier. If something isn’t quite right, I’ll sort it, and often it shows up the next thing worth looking at.

Decide always stays with you.

the bits that don’t change

What stays the same

  • I start with what’s actually there: the tools, the data and how the work really gets done.
  • I look at the whole thing before any one part of it. Fixing one tool in isolation usually just moves the problem somewhere else.
  • You get my honest view, and the decision stays yours. If you’re stuck, I’ll argue the other side to help you think it through.
  • We agree what’s being done and what it costs before I start. No open-ended projects.
  • Nothing gets left only in my head. You get notes on what I’ve done and how it works.

ask me anything

Questions people ask

Do you only work with charities?

No. A lot of my background is charities and the NHS, but I work with small businesses and sole traders too.

Do you do IT support?

Not really. If your laptop won’t start or the Wi-Fi’s down, you want an IT support company. I’m more about the information you run things on, the systems it moves through, and building what’s missing.

Can you just move our data?

Yes. Plenty of jobs are exactly that: you’ve picked the new system and you need everything across in one piece. I’ll still want a proper look first, because that’s where the surprises are.

What if I just need something built?

Then tell me. We’ll still start with a conversation, because the thing people ask for isn’t always the thing they need. Sometimes it is, and then I’ll just build it.

Will it work with what I’ve already got?

Almost certainly. Most of the tools small organisations use can be joined up somehow, and the systems check is where we find out exactly how. If I haven’t worked with yours before, I’ll tell you.

Who owns the data?

You do, always. Whatever I build or join up, the information in it is yours, and you can take it with you whenever you like.

Will I end up depending on you?

I’d rather you didn’t. Everything I set up or build comes with notes, and I’ll show you how it works before I hand it over.

Where are you?

Kent. I’m happy to meet in person locally, and everything works online too.

What if you can’t help?

I’ll tell you, and I’ll try to point you to someone who can.

step one

Start with listen.

Drop me an email and tell me a bit about what’s going on. The first conversation is free.

m@martinhills.com