Plan a digital project
Define the project before asking someone to build it
Scratch That Itch helps organisations turn a vague or complicated digital requirement into a clear project that can be understood, costed and delivered.
We help define what is actually needed, what matters most and how to find the right people to deliver it.
You know something needs to change. The project is not quite ready yet.
- 01The website or platform needs replacing.
- 02Several stakeholders want different things.
- 03Supplier proposals are hard to compare.
- 04The project has started without enough clarity.
- 05An internal system or process needs improving.
Scratch helps turn that uncertainty into a properly defined project.
Establish clarity about the problem before defining the project
A project becomes much easier to manage when everyone is working towards the same outcome.
Before procurement or build, we help define:
What the organisation needs to achieve and how success will be judged.
Who the project needs to work for and what matters to them.
What needs to be included now and what can wait.
The important functional, content, data and operational needs.
A sensible level of investment and realistic ways to deliver the work.
The decisions, systems or unknowns that could affect delivery.
From brief to the right delivery partner
Once the project is clear, the rest follows in three steps.
- 01
A clear written brief
Objectives, users, scope, requirements, budget and risks in one document that works internally and goes out to potential suppliers. The aim is not to prescribe every detail. It is to give good suppliers enough clarity to recommend the right approach.
- 02
The right people to deliver it
We build a shortlist, issue the brief, assess the proposals, support interviews or pitches and make an appointment recommendation. No preferred agency list, no referral fees and no commissions.
- 03
Support through delivery
Appointing the supplier is not necessarily the end of our involvement. We can stay on your side to keep priorities clear, review key decisions, translate technical discussions and flag risks early.
That means we can challenge the brief, question additional complexity and help you decide what is genuinely worth paying for.
Compare like with like
Apparently similar proposals can contain very different scope, assumptions and levels of complexity. A structured comparison makes those differences visible.
Scope
Are the suppliers actually proposing the same project?
Approach
How will they tackle the work, involve users and make important decisions?
Capability
Do they have the right experience and people for this particular project?
Cost
What is included, excluded or likely to create additional spend?
Fit
Will the organisation and supplier be able to work effectively together?
The cheapest proposal is not automatically the best value.
Neither is the most impressive pitch.
Practical ways to get started
Three ways in, depending on how defined the project already is.
01
A Thinking Day
A focused day, often split into shorter sessions, to work out what the project really needs to be.
What you receive
A clear view of the problem, the priorities and the sensible next step.
Typical engagementOne day
02
Digital Project Definition
Turn a loose digital requirement into a clear project with defined objectives, scope and requirements.
What you receive
A project definition and written brief that can be used internally and with potential suppliers.
Typical engagement3 to 6 weeks
03
Agency Selection
Find and assess the right agency, developer or specialist for a defined project.
What you receive
A structured supplier comparison and independent appointment recommendation.
Typical engagement4 to 8 weeks
Not sure the idea is ready to become a project yet? Start with Idea Validation.
Already started and things are drifting?
Sometimes Scratch gets involved after delivery has begun.
Project Rescue, typical engagement2 to 5 weeks
Signs worth taking seriously
- Scope keeps changing
- Costs are difficult to explain
- Milestones are slipping
- Responsibilities are unclear
- Confidence in the project is falling
Let’s talk
Have a project that needs clearer definition?
You do not need to finish the brief before getting in touch.
Tell us what needs changing and where the uncertainty sits. We will help you work out the most sensible route forward.
A rough requirement is enough to start.