How I Work
One of the biggest risks in hiring a freelancer is unpredictability — not knowing how the work will actually get done until it's already underway. Here's exactly what to expect.
Step by step, from discovery to handoff.
Discovery & Scoping
Every engagement starts with understanding the actual problem, not just the requested fix. For a WordPress or WooCommerce performance issue, that means looking at real Core Web Vitals metrics before proposing a solution. For a new PHP build, Magento project, or integration, that means understanding your existing stack, constraints, and what "done" looks like for you. I ask direct questions here — the goal is a scope that holds up once development starts.
Proposal & Timeline
Based on discovery, I send a written proposal covering scope, deliverables, timeline, and cost — fixed-scope where the work is well-defined, or a clear hourly/milestone structure where it isn't. No open-ended retainers without a defined check-in cadence, and no surprises on scope once we've agreed on it.
Development & Communication
I work in regular check-ins rather than disappearing until "done" — the cadence depends on project length, but you'll always know what's in progress and what's next. I use Git for version control on every PHP and WordPress engagement, with a clean commit history so you have a real record of what changed and why, not just a final zip file.
QA & Launch
Before anything ships, it goes through testing appropriate to the change — cross-browser and cross-device checks for front-end work, WooCommerce checkout testing and Core Web Vitals regression checks for performance or architecture changes, and a staging-environment review before production deployment. Launches are planned, not rushed, with a rollback plan for anything touching a live production system.
Handoff & Ongoing Support
Every engagement ends with documentation — what was built, how any custom REST API endpoints or plugin architecture work, and how to maintain it — so you're not dependent on me to understand your own system. If ongoing support makes sense for the project, we agree on that scope explicitly rather than leaving it ambiguous.
Tools I use to collaborate.
Git and GitHub/GitLab for version control, Jira or equivalent for task tracking on larger engagements, WP-CLI and Composer for WordPress environment management, and GitHub Actions for CI/CD where a project warrants it. All communication happens over email and the tools above — no phone calls or live chat required to work with me effectively.
Ready to start with discovery?
Tell me what you're working on and I'll tell you how this would actually run.