As AI-powered search and generative engine optimization (GEO) change the way people find information online, we are having more conversations with organizations we haven’t met before. In this blog we give a sneak preview into the typical conversation structure we have with new-to-us organizations through frequently asked questions that we regularly answer during introductory calls. If you’re thinking of reaching out to us for the first time, or interested in learning about Element 84, this is a great place to start!
What does Element 84 do?
Element 84 is a professional services software engineering firm that specializes in building large scale web applications and data processing pipelines. Our areas of expertise include geospatial web applications, and petabyte scale data processing in the cloud. We work with public-sector and private-sector clients to create tools that help them to understand our changing planet, manage infrastructure, and make informed decisions. We represent the best in scalable software engineering, AI, data analysis, data processing, and human-centered design.
Can Element 84 address your organization’s needs?
One of the most important parts of an introductory conversation is the opportunity for our team to learn about the issue your organization is facing and how you are looking to solve your needs.
Although our team can provide solutions outside of this framework, there are a few core reasons that potential clients seek us out:
- Data visualization through dashboard development: Some clients are looking for a “dashboard” to visualize complex data.
- Data migration: Other clients are looking to migrate large scale geospatial data into the cloud and are looking for DevOps support.
- Cloud cost management: Some initial conversations focus on cloud spending and how to structure an organization’s data to reduce their monthly cloud bill.
- Chatbot and generative AI integration: Other clients are interested in learning how to integrate generative AI into their databases and create a chatbot experience to quickly find data sources.
- Data processing pipelines: Some clients are data providers that need scalable and highly efficient workflows that are easy to operate, from small satellite companies with complicated workflows to large government organizations processing and distributing petabytes of data per year.
To fully assess if we are the right fit for you, we want to spend some time understanding your current status quo and the end state you would like to arrive at through a consulting engagement.
In some conversations we realize we might not be the right fit for you. There might be a product we know about that is a better fit, or you might be looking for a GIS Analyst to create a simple dashboard in Esri. In those cases our team can pass along recommendations for an organization or product that might be a better fit for your organization’s needs.
What relevant experience does Element 84 have?
Once we understand your organization’s needs and we’ve confirmed that our Element 84 team can provide the solutions you’re hoping for, we provide past project examples that are in line with what you’re looking for. Although we can’t always talk about all of our clients in specifics, we always have some examples we can share. For some past projects, we might walk you through a live demo (like this video example of a wildfire risk application designed by our team) or share screen shots or overall architecture schemas.
As geospatial software and data management experts, our team may not have direct subject matter expertise in your focus area. That said, we have an extensive history of working with clients and partners to generate solutions that reflect the latest data and nuance required to communicate complex topics. If we’ve never directly worked with a client similar to your organization before, we can discuss how our discovery process will serve to efficiently acclimate our team to the topic.
How does Element 84 structure engagements?
Based on the issue your team is facing, we then talk about how we can best meet your needs.
We often approach new project work by kicking off a small discovery phase first. Our Audit and Discovery process allows us to present informed suggestions for the most impactful and efficient options for your project in terms of potential solutions, timeline, and scope.
We prefer to work as a team, but team size varies significantly based on project scope. When building your ideal project team, your organization has the opportunity to pull from our roster of UI/UX experts, Front-End and Back-End Engineers, Full-Stack Software Engineers, and DevOps Engineers – and we’ll always keep a Project Manager involved to ensure the project stays on track.
How does Element 84 price client engagements?
The Element 84 pricing structure is dependent on the project and your organization’s needs as our client. Pricing for any project can either be structured as Time and Materials (T&M) or Firm-Fixed-Price (FFP).
In the T&M structure, pricing reflects the hourly rate of the engineers and team members working on your project, as well as the cost of any materials used throughout the effort. Alternatively, FFP pricing allows clients to pay one flat rate for a full project in a lump sum.
Our pricing structure is fully dependent on the needs of our clients and the individual project work agreed upon, so we are happy to discuss the format that works best for your organization.
How does Element 84 incorporate AI into our current SDLC (software development life cycle)?
Our E84 team is always interested in evaluating new and emerging tools and technology for potential adoption in our project work. As we integrate AI into our workflow for certain projects, we’ve prioritized maintaining a responsible and intentional approach to AI adoption. For more information about our perspective relating to AI integration, view past blogs about responsible AI adoption and our Guiding Principles for AI.
Next steps for kicking off a new project
Once initial conversations have concluded, discussions can move to the contracting phase and we can begin to officially kick off the project! Depending on organizational needs, Element 84 is able to provide a rough order of magnitude (ROM) or we can put together a full proposal that outlines our approach, staffing, and price.
In general, our team wants to make our initial introductory conversations suit your organization’s needs. If you are interested in learning more about this process or wondering if E84 might be a good fit for challenges your organization is facing, we would love to hear from you.
