Find out exactly what automating this process is worth
Process Discovery is a short, paid engagement that maps your manual process end to end, then comes back with a fixed-price, ROI-ranked build plan and the payback line. You see the number before you commit to a build. Softblues runs six of its own departments on AI, so we map from doing.
Why start with discovery, not a build?
Most automation projects disappoint because the build started before anyone mapped the real process. Discovery maps the workflow, the volumes, the systems it touches and the cost per run first, so the build that follows is scoped against numbers, not guesses. It is discovery, not an audit: no grading, no blame, just understanding what is worth automating and what it returns.
What you get from a discovery
Everything you need to make a confident build decision, delivered in one to two weeks.
A process map
Your workflow documented end to end, so the cost of running it by hand is visible before anything is built.
- Steps, volumes and systems mapped
- Cost per run, measured
- Where the time and money go
A fixed-price build plan
A scoped plan with clear deliverables, a timeline and a single price, so there are no surprises once the build starts.
- Clear deliverables and timeline
- A single fixed price
- No open-ended billing
ROI ranking and a payback line
Every build we scope carries a payback line, so you know when the investment returns before you commit to it.
- Builds ranked by return
- A payback line on each
- You see the number first
A working prototype
Where it de-risks the decision, a working prototype that validates the approach against your real data before the full build.
- Tested on your real data
- Validates the approach early
- Built only where it helps
How discovery works
Three steps, from a first call to a scoped plan you can act on.
Discovery call
We sit with the team that runs the process and walk it end to end, the way it actually happens.
- The people who do the work, in the room
- The process as it really runs
- No grading, no blame
Process map
We document the steps, volumes, systems and cost per run, and find where automation pays back.
- Steps, volumes and systems
- Cost per run, measured
- Where the payback is
Scoped build plan
You get a fixed-price, ROI-ranked plan with the payback line, and a working prototype where it helps.
- Fixed-price, ROI-ranked plan
- A payback line you can check
- Yours to keep, build or not
Discovery that turned into production
Builds that started with a mapped process and now run in production.
PoC to betaEight-agent pharmacy pipeline
Prescription processing to a regulated standard for a US pharmacy operation, taking a manual 15 to 20 minute check down to seconds, with a pharmacist on the exceptions.
In production (beta)Nine-agent research pipeline (Lumono.ai)
A plain-English research question turned into publication-ready analysis with citations, compressing months of work into weeks, with an expert reviewing the output.
What does discovery cost?
Discovery is a fixed price, agreed before we start. Every build it scopes carries a payback line, so you know exactly when the investment returns. As a rule of thumb, a £20,000 build that saves £4,000 a month pays back in about five months. If you decide not to build, you keep the process map and the plan, with no obligation.
Estimate your savingProcess Discovery: at a glance
- What
- A short, paid discovery that maps a costly manual process before any build is scoped.
- You get
- A process map, a fixed-price ROI-ranked build plan, a payback line, and a prototype where it helps.
- How long
- One to two weeks from kickoff to delivery, agreed up front.
- Good fit
- Costly, repeatable manual workflows in ops, finance, support and back-office.
- Cost
- Fixed price, agreed before we start. Every build it scopes carries a payback line.
- No lock-in
- If you decide not to build, you keep the process map and the plan.
- Based in
- London-based, working with mid-market firms.
Common questions about Process Discovery
Is this an audit?
No. It is discovery: we map the real process before scoping a build. No grading, no blame, just understanding.
What does the build cost?
Fixed price, scoped after discovery, with a payback line. You see the number before committing.
How long is discovery?
Short. Typically one to two weeks from kickoff to delivery, agreed up front.
What do we get from discovery?
A process map, an ROI-ranked build plan, a fixed price, and the payback line. Plus a working prototype where it helps.
Which processes are a good fit?
Costly, repeatable manual workflows: ops, finance, support, back-office. If people copy data, triage tickets, or chase paperwork, it is likely a fit.
What if we decide not to build?
You keep the process map and the plan. No obligation, no lock-in.
Map the process, see the payback
Start with a paid Process Discovery. We map the workflow, scope a fixed-price build, and come back with a payback line so you know exactly what automating it is worth.