# Frequently Asked Questions > Answers to common questions about Zero Trust and Agentic AI consulting: engagement process, pricing, capacity, deliverables, and technology advisory. - Canonical: https://graymatter.ch/faq/ - Locale: en - Body language: en --- ## Engagement & Process ### How does an engagement typically start? Every engagement begins with a conversation to understand your context and determine fit. I ask questions, you describe your challenges, and together we decide if there's alignment. If there is, I propose a scope and approach. Where your organisation requires formal procurement, I work within that process. ### What's the typical engagement timeline? This varies strongly from engagement to engagement and depends on scale, scope, complexity, and responsiveness of the people who need to provide context. | Engagement Type | Typical Duration | |-----------------|------------------| | Assess | 2-4 weeks | | Translate | 2-4 weeks | | Demonstrate | 2-6 weeks | | Architect | 4-10 weeks | | Guide | Ongoing (aligned with your project) | | Optimise | Quarterly retainer | ### Do you offer fixed-price or time-and-materials? Both. Assessments and defined architecture work are typically fixed-price with clear deliverables. Advisory, oversight, and ongoing engagements are usually time-and-materials with agreed rate cards. We agree on the model before starting. ## Pricing & Commercial ### What are your rates? I don't publish rates because every engagement is different. Factors include scope, complexity, timeline, and deliverables. I'm transparent about pricing once we've discussed your specific needs. Expect enterprise consulting rates - this is specialised, high-impact advisory work. ### Do you require a minimum engagement size? No formal minimum, but the nature of the work means most engagements are measured in weeks, not hours. A half-day call isn't the right fit; a 2-week assessment or multi-month architecture engagement is. ### What payment terms do you offer? Typically: 50% on commencement, 50% on delivery for project work. Monthly invoicing for ongoing engagements. Swiss Francs preferred; EUR/USD possible. Payment terms: 30 days. ## Capacity & Availability ### You're one person. Can you handle multiple clients? Yes, within limits. I typically work with 2-3 clients concurrently, depending on engagement intensity. I'm transparent about availability and will tell you upfront if timeline constraints exist. I don't overcommit. ### What happens if you're unavailable during a critical phase? For ongoing engagements, we establish contingency plans upfront. I maintain relationships with trusted specialists who can provide backup coverage for specific situations. This is discussed during engagement planning, not discovered during a crisis. ### Do you work with a team or subcontractors? Primarily solo for strategy and architecture work - that's the point of direct expert access. For implementation-heavy phases or specialised needs (e.g., penetration testing, specific vendor expertise), I bring in trusted specialists as needed, always with your approval and transparency about who's involved. ## Technology Advisory ### How do you help with technology selection? I help you decide what technology fits your architecture and your problem - and what you don't need. Whether you're selecting Zero Trust platforms, AI frameworks, or agentic coding toolchains, I guide you through evaluation criteria, RFI/RFP processes, and PoC design. Every recommendation is documented in architecture decision records so you can see the reasoning behind it. ### How do I know your advice isn't biased? Every recommendation comes with full reasoning and rationale. I only recommend something when I believe it is the right fit for your situation, your problems, and your requirements. My default recommendation is often "integrate what you have" and "reduce the number of point solutions" - lower complexity, capitalise on existing expertise and knowhow. My reputation depends on your outcomes. If the architecture gets more complex instead of simpler, I don't get repeat business. ### Why do you emphasise integration over products? Because Zero Trust fails between components, not within them. Most companies already have capable tools - the challenge is making them work together. Too many point solutions, not enough horizontal integration. Before recommending new products, I evaluate whether better integration of existing products would achieve the same outcome. Complexity kills security. ### Do you implement solutions or just advise? I design and guide, not implement at production scale. My value is in architecture, strategy, and oversight - not in long-term operational configuration. I do build proofs of concept and reference architectures in sandbox environments to validate designs and demonstrate feasibility. Production rollouts and ongoing operations remain with your team, your integrators, or vendor professional services, with my oversight ensuring the architecture vision is preserved. ## Scope & Deliverables ### What do I actually get at the end of an engagement? Clarity and direction. Depending on the engagement: a clear picture of where you stand, a prioritised path forward, a target state architecture you can build from, a business case that gets funded, a technology decision backed by rationale, or a validated proof that a concept works. The specifics vary - but you always walk away with concrete outcomes you can act on, not a stack of papers. ### What stays after the engagement ends? The decisions and the reasoning behind them. Every recommendation comes with full rationale - what was considered, what was chosen, and why. The architecture is clear enough to build from and extend. You move forward confidently because the logic is visible, not because someone is there to explain it. ### What if we need changes after the engagement ends? Minor clarifications are included. Significant scope changes or new requirements are scoped as follow-on work. For ongoing relationships, consider a retainer arrangement that provides access for questions and periodic reviews. ## Working Style ### Where are you based? Do you travel? Based in Switzerland (near Bern). I work with Swiss and European clients primarily. Travel for workshops and key meetings is standard; day-to-day work is remote. For international clients, we establish a working rhythm that accommodates time zones. ### What's your communication style? Direct, honest, and efficient. I prioritise architectural truth over telling you what you want to hear. If an assumption is wrong, a scope is unclear, or a timeline is unrealistic, I will tell you directly. The goal is clarity early, before expensive mistakes compound. ### How do you handle confidentiality? Strictly. All client information is confidential by default. I sign NDAs when required. I never use client-identifiable information in marketing without explicit permission.