FAQ

Frequently asked questions about Platform Architecture Authority engagements.

General

How is PAA different from traditional consulting?

Traditional consulting typically involves a defined project with a beginning and end—assess the situation, deliver a report, move on. PAA is an ongoing relationship. We stay engaged as your platform evolves, providing continuous guidance rather than point-in-time recommendations.

Do you write code?

Not typically. PAA focuses on architecture—design, review, standards, guidance. We occasionally produce proof-of-concept code to validate approaches, but implementation remains with your team. This is intentional: we want to elevate your team’s capabilities, not create dependency.

What if we disagree with your recommendations?

That’s fine. Our job is to provide informed perspective and illuminate trade-offs. The decisions are yours. We document our recommendations and your decisions in ADRs, ensuring clarity about what was chosen and why.

How do you handle confidentiality?

Seriously. We sign NDAs before any substantive discussion. We don’t share specifics about one client’s architecture with another. Our team members are bound by strict confidentiality agreements.

Engagement

How quickly can we start?

Typically within 2 weeks of agreement. Discovery begins immediately; regular engagement starts once discovery completes (usually 2-3 weeks).

What’s the minimum commitment?

We ask for a 3-month initial commitment. Architecture guidance takes time to show impact, and shorter engagements don’t allow us to provide full value. After the initial period, engagements continue month-to-month.

Can we change tiers?

Yes. Engagement needs evolve. You can move between tiers with 30 days notice. We’ll help you determine when a tier change makes sense.

What happens if key team members leave?

Our documentation practices ensure continuity. ADRs, design reviews, and standards persist regardless of personnel changes—on your side or ours.

Practical

What tools do you use?

Whatever you use. We adapt to your environment—Slack, Teams, Jira, Linear, GitHub, GitLab, Confluence, Notion. We’re not prescriptive about tooling.

What time zones do you support?

We’re based in European time zones (CET/CEST) but accommodate global clients. Office hours and synchronous sessions are scheduled to work for your team.

Do you work with specific technologies?

We’re technology-agnostic at the architecture level. Cloud platforms (Azure, AWS, GCP), languages, frameworks—we’ve worked across the spectrum. For deep implementation guidance on specific technologies, we can recommend specialists if needed.

FAQ