Studio Process

At Artcompiler, we work in four-week cycles. We ship updates continuously with a punctuation mark to tie things up at the end of each cycle. In this article we describe our technology, process, and how we work with partners.

OUR TECH STACK AND GRAFFITICODE

Our products are built using React on the frontend and GraphQL on the backend. We use a language oriented approach to software development. Components and apis are runtimes for task oriented languages used to program them. In this way, the "last mile" of look, feel and functionality is defined by high level code.

We've developed a collection of such languages, and Graffiticode a tool for programming, testing and deploying software written with them.

OUR DEV PROCESS

We work in four-week cycles using a process loosely based on Shape Up by 37Signals.

Each cycles is an exercise in the design and implementation of language sketched out before the beginning of the cycle. These sketches include a vocabulary for the language and a rough description / drawing of how the words in that vocabulary are expressed.

What makes this process effective is the imposition of three opposing forces: fixed cost, variable scope, and minimum viable outcome. If we are able to ship work that fills the specified shape for the fixed cost that was bet, it is considered done. If it is not done, then it is considered a sunk cost and either scrapped or sent back to the drawing board for reworking and possibly pitched in a later cycle.

The key to this process is to specify work loosely enough to allow the implementation flexibility to cut corners when necessary while still delivering on the intended value of the feature.

OUR PROJECTS

We organize work around Projects. The goal of a project is to discover and solve for jobs-to-be-done within a chosen domain. We strive for product-job-fit as evidenced by paying customers.

We typically budget $5,000 per four-week cycle per project. As a project brings in income, the budget may be increased.

Once a product becomes viable (read profitable) it may or may not be spun out into an independent business. That depends on a miriad of factors including whether or not it is developed with a partner and for what purpose.

OUR PARTNERSHIPS

We work with partners to co-develop projects. The partner normally commits to covering the studio costs in exchange for majority ownership of the developed product. Here is a Pro-Forma Term Sheet for Joint Ventures.