Understand the environment
Review the applications, infrastructure, integrations, workflows, vendors, access, and business dependencies.
guest@make-directory:~$ mkdir ./managed-software
managed software and automation
Your ongoing software team—without the overhead
We maintain, improve, and automate the technology your business depends on—without requiring you to recruit and manage an internal development team.
Existing applications · Integrations · Automations · Cloud infrastructure · Internal tools
former dev
vendor
spreadsheet
cloud
owned environmentdocumented · prioritized · maintained
guest@make-directory:~$ cat ./ownership-problem.md
recognize the pattern
Your business depends on software no one fully owns
Software problems often persist because responsibility is divided between employees, freelancers, vendors, and former developers. Everyone understands a piece. No one is accountable for the whole environment.
No one fully understands the current software environment
Technical problems keep returning
Important processes still depend on spreadsheets
Vendors understand only their individual pieces
Improvements remain unfinished
Deployments, backups, or cloud accounts are poorly documented
The business is afraid to update a critical application
There is no technical roadmap or clear decision-maker
The company needs both technical leadership and execution
guest@make-directory:~$ ls ./what-we-own
between projects
We take responsibility for the technology between projects
Make Directory does more than complete isolated tickets. We maintain and steadily improve the software, integrations, automations, and cloud systems your business depends on—without requiring you to hire and manage an internal technical team.
Existing applications
Integrations and APIs
Cloud infrastructure
Business automations
Internal tools
Reporting systems
Maintenance and updates
Deployment processes
Technical documentation
Vendor coordination
Technical planning and prioritization
Major rebuilds, migrations, and large new features may be scoped separately after the environment is understood.
guest@make-directory:~$ cat ./path-to-ownership.md
how it works
A practical path from uncertainty to ownership
Stabilize critical systems
Identify urgent reliability, security, documentation, deployment, and continuity risks.
Prioritize improvements
Create a realistic roadmap based on business impact, risk, effort, and available capacity.
Improve the environment steadily
Implement fixes, automation, integrations, and operational improvements in a controlled sequence.
Maintain long-term ownership
Continue monitoring, documenting, planning, and improving the systems as the business changes.
guest@make-directory:~$ open ./technology-assessment
central offer
Start with a Technology Assessment
Before taking long-term responsibility for an unfamiliar environment, we begin with a contained assessment. You receive a useful technical and operational roadmap without committing to an ongoing partnership.
Review of existing applications and infrastructure
System and dependency documentation
Reliability and security risk identification
Review of backups, deployments, hosting, domains, and access
Operational bottleneck analysis
Automation and integration opportunities
Review of unfinished or underperforming projects
Identification of immediate fixes and longer-term priorities
A recommended ownership and improvement plan
A prioritized, practical roadmap showing what needs immediate attention, what can wait, and how the environment should be managed going forward.
Most assessments fall between $2,500 and $5,000, depending on the number and complexity of the systems involved.The client does not need to make an immediate long-term commitment
Make Directory is paid to learn the environment properly
Unknown risks are identified before ongoing work begins
The client receives a useful deliverable
Both sides can determine whether an ongoing relationship is a good fit
guest@make-directory:~$ cat ./fit-check.md
qualification
Who this is for
Good fit
- Your business relies on custom or interconnected software
- No one currently owns the full environment
- You need maintenance and steady improvement
- You have recurring operational or technical problems
- Hiring and managing a complete internal software team is unrealistic
- You value documentation, continuity, and long-term planning
Probably not a fit
- You only need a simple brochure website
- You are looking for the lowest possible hourly development rate
- You want unlimited, undefined work for a fixed fee
- You are unwilling to provide the access needed to evaluate the environment
- You only need general laptop, printer, or email support
- You want a large fixed-price product build without a discovery phase
guest@make-directory:~$ ls ./examples
evidence and capabilities
Examples of environments and problems we have handled
These are anonymized examples of the kinds of systems Make Directory has worked on. They are structured so full case studies can replace them later.
Scheduling and reporting
Reworked a complex reporting process involving shift rules, delivery schedules, sorting, exports, and customer-specific requirements.
Application infrastructure
Improved deployment, monitoring, cloud architecture, authentication, and operational reliability for a production SaaS platform.
Business automation
Connected workflows and internal systems to reduce repetitive operational work and improve visibility.
guest@make-directory:~$ open ./software-ownership-checklist
lower-commitment path
Who actually owns your business software?
Use this checklist to identify gaps in access, documentation, hosting, backups, security, deployments, integrations, and long-term responsibility.
The Business Software Ownership Checklist
A polished, printable 42-point review of the technology your business cannot afford to lose control of.
Source-code accessHosting ownershipCloud account accessDomain and DNS accessBackup responsibilityRecovery proceduresDeployment accessDocumentationSecurity updatesVendor dependenciesIntegration ownershipEmployee and contractor offboardingTechnical roadmaps
guest@make-directory:~$ cat ./faq.md
questions
Frequently asked questions
Is this the same as managed IT support?
No. Traditional IT support usually focuses on employee devices, networks, email, and standard business systems. This service focuses on custom applications, integrations, automations, cloud infrastructure, internal tools, and the technical decisions surrounding them.
Do we need an internal technical team?
No. The service is designed for businesses that need reliable technical ownership without building a complete internal development organization. It can also supplement a small existing team.
Can you work with our current vendors?
Yes. Part of the role may include coordinating vendors, identifying ownership boundaries, documenting dependencies, and making sure the complete environment continues to function.
What does the Technology Assessment cost?
Most assessments fall between $2,500 and $5,000 depending on complexity.
What happens after the assessment?
The client receives a prioritized roadmap. They can implement it internally, engage another provider, commission a defined project, or continue with Make Directory through an ongoing Managed Software Partnership.
Do we have to commit to a monthly plan?
No. The assessment is a contained engagement and should be useful on its own.
Can you rebuild or replace an existing system?
Potentially, but the first goal is to understand the environment and determine whether stabilization, incremental improvement, integration, or replacement is the most responsible path.
guest@make-directory:~$ mkdir ./next-step
next step
Tell us what your business depends on
Describe the software, systems, or operational processes currently causing concern. We will review the information before recommending a conversation or next step.
Not ready? Get the Software Ownership Checklist.
Managed Software Partnership
A successful assessment can later lead to monthly ownership, maintenance, planning, automation, vendor coordination, and steady software improvement.
The assessment comes first because ownership only works when the current environment is understood.