Your software engineering department
A software engineering department, without building one.
For businesses without engineers, HumanLayer Tech becomes your engineering team: technical leadership plus the hands-on work of designing, building, and maintaining your software. Already have developers? Bring us in to guide architecture, review work, and move big projects forward.
What you get
Everything an engineering department does.
Technical leadership and hands-on engineering, from deciding what to build to building, running, and improving it.
Technical leadership
Roadmaps, priorities, and budgets set by a senior engineer: the role a CTO plays.
Custom software
Internal tools, customer portals, and web apps designed and built around how you work.
Websites and web systems
Sites and web systems that are fast, secure, and easy to change.
Integrations and automation
Your systems share data and handle routine work, so no one re-types it.
AI features
AI built into your workflows where it saves real time, tested before you invest.
Engineering standards
Code reviews, testing, and documentation, so what’s built stays maintainable.
Maintenance and security
Updates, security patches, backups, and fixes for the software you rely on.
Build-or-buy decisions
Honest recommendations on vendors and tools, including when not to build.
Two ways to work together
Be your engineering department, or strengthen the one you have.
Both are monthly partnerships scoped after a free consultation, so you pay for the level of involvement your business actually needs.
For businesses without software engineers
Your engineering department
We take on the role of an in-house software team: deciding what to build, building it, and keeping it running and improving.
- Technical leadership and a roadmap
- Design and development of software, websites, and integrations
- Maintenance, security updates, and improvements
- Vendor and build-or-buy decisions
- Documentation, so nothing lives in one person’s head
For businesses with developers already
Alongside your team
We work with your existing engineers as a senior advisor, bringing an outside perspective to the decisions and work that matter most.
- Architecture and code reviews
- Technical direction on major decisions
- Hands-on help moving stalled projects forward
- Guidance on adopting AI and automation
- Mentoring and stronger engineering practices
Not sure which fits? Start with a conversation about what you’re trying to build and who’s building it today.
Clear expectations
What to expect, and what’s in scope.
Response expectations
- Requests acknowledged within one business day
- Urgent issues that stop your business prioritized first
- Plain-English updates on what’s being done and when
- One point of contact who knows your systems
Included
- Technical leadership, roadmaps, and planning
- Custom software, web apps, and websites
- Integrations, automations, and AI features
- Code reviews, maintenance, and security updates
- Documentation your team can rely on
Not included
- IT support for devices and hardware
- Office networks and Wi-Fi
- Help-desk tickets for individual employees
- 24/7 on-call monitoring
This is software engineering, not IT support. Need those too? We’re happy to work alongside your IT provider or help you choose one.
Compared to hiring
Why not build an in-house team?
Building a software team means recruiting and managing several full-time roles, starting with someone senior enough to lead them. A partnership gives you that leadership and the hands-on work, sized to what your business needs.
- Getting started
- Hiring an in-house teamMonths of recruiting before work begins
- HumanLayer Technology PartnerWork begins after a free consultation and a scoped plan
- Cost
- Hiring an in-house teamFull-time salaries and benefits, whether or not there’s work
- HumanLayer Technology PartnerA monthly plan sized to the work, adjusted as needs change
- Leadership
- Hiring an in-house teamNeeds a CTO or senior lead to direct the team
- HumanLayer Technology PartnerSenior engineering leadership is built in
- Range of skills
- Hiring an in-house teamLimited to the people you hire
- HumanLayer Technology PartnerLeadership, architecture, web, integrations, and AI in one partnership
- Knowledge
- Hiring an in-house teamOften leaves when a key person does
- HumanLayer Technology PartnerDocumented as we go, in accounts and code you own
FAQ
Partnership questions
What’s the difference between a project and a Technology Partner plan?
A project has a defined scope and finish line, like a new website, a specific automation, or a custom tool. A Technology Partner plan is an ongoing monthly relationship where HumanLayer Tech acts as your software engineering department, or advises the one you have, planning, building, and improving as needs come up.
What if we only need help occasionally?
That’s common. Plans can be sized for occasional needs, and project work is always available without a monthly plan.
We already have developers. Can you work with them?
Yes. You can bring HumanLayer Tech in as a senior advisor to your team: reviewing architecture and code, guiding major technical decisions, and helping move stalled projects forward, while your team keeps ownership of the work.
Is this IT support?
No. IT support handles devices, networks, and help-desk tickets. A Technology Partner plan is software engineering: planning, building, and maintaining the software and systems your business runs on. We’re happy to work alongside your IT provider.
Add a software engineering department to your business.
Start with a free consultation, whether you need an engineering team or a second opinion for the one you have.