For almost 20 years we’ve been building high performance digital products.
We built global tech for big brands like NBC Universal and Microsoft. Our team created BBC Children in Need’s fundraising platform and helped them to a sequence of record fundraising years using our method, The Tech BootcampTM.
Our first 13 years were all about profit - our profit. Awards. International travel. We really thought we were hot shit. But then in 2017 we had a terrible year and almost lost it all.
We made the same mistake that many technology companies make. We were obsessed with the technology but couldn’t show clients the return. They stopped spending money with us.
We forgot what truly mattered to our clients.
Not the technology itself, but the outcome of the technology. And the improvement it should make.
This misplaced mindset nearly cost us the business, so we made a commitment to never make that mistake again. This breakthrough saved our business and helped it thrive.
A different way of seeing the world.
A new mindset: Improvement First.
“The Tech Dept are aware of the pitfalls and things that can go wrong – they’re grounded in reality. You can count on them because they’ve been through the good, the bad and the ugly”
Ali Munro, co-founder of Flutterlab
‘Improvement First’ is a complete shift in mindset from the rest of the tech world. But a shift in mindset is not enough.
You need a proven process to deliver improvement time and time again, regardless of the team members involved.
So we turned our new mindset into a method - The Tech Bootcamp™ - that systematically delivers business improvement as a result of the tech products we build.
You should invest in what you need, not what some tech team prefers. We start with what you want, and why. Then we figure out how to do it in the most cost-effective way.
Our improvement first mindset - as deployed in The Tech Bootcamp™ method - is a great way to align your long term interests with ours.
Often our first project with you is small. Then we measure what did (and didn't) work. And repeat the process.
If your startup improves, you will see the value in investing more with us. So if you win, we win.
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We do not subcontract work overseas and everything is built by our in-house team.
Our staff turnover is incredibly low and that shared history and knowledge of projects goes a long way. Most of our team have been with us over 5 years.
Historically based in Sheffield, remote working has allowed us to find the right people from across the UK. Nick, our most recent hire, lives in Devon.
Finding a great match for Our Values is more important to us than any technical skill or career experience. We only employ people who are Open, Honest, Caring, Can-do, Reliable, Playful.
We even invested in the creation of a mental health not-for-profit; a festival in London which helps you "get ahead without burning out". See our media page for details.
“I have ADHD, and The Tech Dept understands that to get the best from me, and ensure I’m always healthy, I need to work in certain and unique ways”
Joseph Pack, our Director of Growth
“I have always felt encouraged to share my experiences and difficulties, and have the support of a fantastic group of people. It’s because of our open and human culture that I have the confidence to be myself”
Nick Mason, one of our Full Stack Developers
“The Tech Dept makes me feel valued, I learn from them and they push me to take on new challenging opportunities”
Linda Cook, our Head of Business Affairs
“The Tech Dept's mentality has changed the way I approach clients – its not profit over everything and 'sell, sell, sell'. I can build relationships and develop a product I know is going to make a massive difference to them”
Jess Beever, Digital Project Manager
Dan Kirby and Rick Grundy have worked together for over 25 years.
Entrepreneur since 2001.
Reader, ultra runner, bedroom DJ.
Into creativity and strategy.
Connect with Dan on Linkedin
Entrepreneur since 1997.
Engineer, software developer, technologist.
Passionate about fixing problems.
Rick doesn't like LinkedIn
