Turn “we need a system” into a quoteable first phase, and decide where the books live and who may change scope.
Follow the people who work the documents, write rules that can be judged, and own the codes first.
Sign first-phase scope. After go-live someone still decides the next cut. Walk the path before design.
Watch real tasks, cover mistakes and the screen, then fold brand and components into one set.
How the system splits inside, who is the source across systems, and who owns data, security, and the implementation gate.
The same document changes the books only once, across back office, API, phone, device, and the outside system.
Prove the business path can finish and that the right failures fail, then decide whether this build may enter the floor.
Production, opening balances, teach by role, and hold a rollback through the cutover hours.
Backups restore, packages are traceable, alerts watch write-back and backlog, and a release starts on a small slice.
Sort problems, prove functions are used, end campaigns cleanly, and drill board numbers back to a document.
On a small team, neighbouring roles may be the same person. The handoff still has to exist: scope, rules, versions, backups, and usage facts. Return to custom software to see the systems this team ships.
Still arguing scope, already writing documents, or live while the old sheet is still in use. Name the stage, and we know which role to bring first.