Common warning signs
Mobile projects rarely fail suddenly. These are the signals that usually appear first:
- Releases are consistently delayed, and each release feels risky.
- Android and iOS have drifted apart in behaviour, quality, or architecture.
- Crash rates, performance, or store ratings are trending the wrong way.
- Every new feature takes longer than the last because of accumulated technical debt.
- No one can clearly explain why the codebase is structured the way it is.
- You cannot objectively evaluate whether your team or agency is doing well.
- Founders are pulled into day-to-day technical decisions they should not own.
Assessment scope
The assessment is tailored to your situation, and can cover:
Android & iOS architecture
How the apps are structured and where that helps or hurts delivery.
Codebase health & technical debt
The real state of the code and the debt slowing you down.
Release process
How releases are built, tested, and shipped — and where they break.
Performance & crash risks
Stability, performance, and the risks most likely to reach users.
Team execution
How the team plans, decides, and delivers day to day.
Product scope
Whether scope and priorities match the team's capacity.
Quality assurance
Testing practices and where quality is actually assured.
Security & analytics
Security practices and whether business impact is measurable.
Deliverables
- Executive-level findings written for founders and leadership, not just engineers.
- Architecture and codebase risk summary.
- Delivery and release assessment.
- Team ownership assessment.
- Prioritised technical-debt list.
- Security and quality observations.
- AI-readiness assessment.
- A recommended 30-, 60-, and 90-day action plan.
- A final presentation and leadership discussion.
The one-to-two-week process
- Days 1–2 — Framing. Introductory call and access to the relevant product, process, and technical information.
- Days 2–7 — Assessment. Independent review of architecture, codebase, delivery, team, and product.
- Final days — Findings. Prioritised recommendations and a 30/60/90-day action plan, delivered as a leadership discussion rather than a generic report.
Duration is typically one to two weeks depending on scope. We do not publish fixed pricing; engagement details are provided on request.
Optional implementation support
The assessment stands on its own. If you want help acting on it, Northstar Japan can continue as a Fractional CTO or in a focused recovery role — leading the team through the plan, not replacing it. This is agreed separately, only if it genuinely helps.