Fabrastra

What we do

Five ways to work with us, from a focused review to a senior leader inside your team, and the products we build when the same problem keeps coming up.

Engineering leadership

For organisations going through growth, change or a gap at the top.

A senior engineering leader who takes on the role, not just advises on it: interim, fractional or for as long as you need. Choose the level that matches the gap.

Engineering manager

Scope
One or two teams
When you need it
A team has lost its manager, is newly formed, or is struggling to deliver
What we own
Delivery, one-to-ones, hiring for the team, on-call and team health
When you hire
We help you hire a permanent manager and hand over

Head of engineering

Scope
Several teams and their managers
When you need it
Managers have no manager, teams block each other, or the process that worked for one team no longer works
What we own
Organisation design, the hiring plan, a career framework, delivery measures (DORA) and managing the managers
When you hire
We help you hire a permanent head of engineering and hand over a management structure that works

CTO

Scope
Technology across the business, up to the board
When you need it
You need senior technical judgement but not yet a full-time CTO, or your board can't get a straight answer about technology
What we own
Technical strategy, build-versus-buy decisions, technology budget, security and compliance, and the questions your board and investors ask
When you hire
We write the role, help you hire a permanent CTO and hand over

How it runs

Any level, full-time or part-time. We usually start with a six-month contract and are open to shorter terms; after that, we stay for as long as you need. We agree the scope in writing before we start, and when you're ready for a permanent leader, we help you hire one and hand over.

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Organisation design

For organisations where teams wait on each other, ownership is unclear, or a platform team has become a queue.

We design teams around the flow of change, using Team Topologies and domain-driven design.

What you get

  • A team map: stream-aligned, platform and enabling teams, and how they interact
  • Domain boundaries and ownership, found with Event Storming
  • "You build it, you run it", introduced with the support teams need
  • A platform run as a product, with internal customers and a roadmap
  • Limits on work in progress, and flow metrics to show whether they help

How it runs

We start with a workshop to map your teams and domains with your people, then stay with you while the changes land.

Related writing

Architecture review

For a system that is hard to change or expensive to run, a big proposal that needs a second opinion, or an investor who needs a due-diligence view.

A fixed-scope review of one system or proposal, by someone who has built and run systems like it.

What you get

  • C4 maps of the system as it really is
  • Findings on reliability (against SLOs), cost, security and delivery risk
  • A written report and a prioritised roadmap, presented to your team

How it runs

A fixed scope, agreed in writing before we start.

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Software consulting

For leaders facing a technical decision they will live with for years.

Advice grounded in measurement, written down so your team can challenge it.

What you get

  • Technical strategy, and build-versus-buy decisions with the costs shown
  • Modernisation plans that keep the current system running
  • AI adoption in your delivery process, introduced safely and measured
  • Estimation and delivery planning your stakeholders can rely on

How it runs

We agree the question and the scope in writing before we start.

Related writing

Software development

For teams that need senior engineers who join and ship.

We work in your repositories, your rituals and your on-call rota, and leave the code better documented than we found it.

What you get

  • Building and modernising cloud systems
  • Platform, quality and developer experience improvements
  • AI-assisted delivery, with its effect on speed and quality measured

How it runs

Embedded for the duration that's needed.

Related writing

Products

When we solve the same problem for more than one client, we build it once, properly, as a product.

  • Focused apps for real operational problems
  • Shaped with the clients who need them

Questions we're often asked

How do you handle IR35 and contracts?

We contract as Fabrastra Ltd under a written statement of work with defined outcomes. We'll take part in your status determination for each engagement and give you what you need to make it.

Who does the work?

Our founder leads every engagement. When the work needs more people, we bring in associates we have worked with before, and introduce them to you before they start.

Do you work remotely or on site?

We're based in London and work remotely by default. We come on site for workshops, kick-offs and whenever being in the room makes the difference.

How quickly can you start?

A review can usually begin within two weeks of agreeing scope. For embedded work, ask us about current availability.

Will you sign an NDA?

Yes, before we see anything sensitive. We never name clients or share their material without written permission.

Tell us what you're building

Tell us which service interests you, or just describe the problem.

Email hello@fabrastra.com

Or follow us on LinkedIn.