Source and operating knowledge
Available code, build instructions, tests and knowledgeable reviewers reduce uncertainty. Missing access or undocumented manual deployment needs investigation before fixed delivery promises.
Scope and cost guide
The code size is only part of the estimate.
Unknown behavior and operating dependencies can matter more than the number of screens.
Reviewed October 16, 2026 ยท Faith Forge Labs
Compatibility and connected systems
Review the intended runtime or platform target, custom dependencies and external integrations. A working interface may depend on a vendor behavior that also needs review.
Data and history
Schema changes, attachments and historical reports need mappings and reconciliation. Decide how new records created during the change will be handled.
Old and new parts together
A phased approach needs a clear boundary, record ownership and mismatch handling. Parallel operation adds coordination work; it does not automatically make a change risk-free.
A useful first scope
Begin with a defined investigation or one constrained improvement. Include expected behavior, test examples, release conditions, documentation and recovery limits. Keep later replacement work and ongoing support separate.