Rapid scoping
We find the one “magic” feature the prototype needs to prove the idea works, and cut everything else.
AI Prototyping
AI Prototyping
Validate your idea in days, not months. I help founders and teams scope and build high-fidelity AI prototypes that test assumptions quickly — before the larger build gets funded.
Typical scope
10–15 days
Delivery style
Workflow proof
Launch focus
Lower build risk
What you get
Validate the risky AI workflow first
The work is scoped around the few decisions that matter most for a first release: the core workflow, the technical shape, and the path to launch.
Interactive proof
More than a mock-up: a functional prototype you can put in the hands of real users or investors.
De-risking the build
Find the technical hurdles early, before you commit to a full development budget or team.
Rule out the wrong direction early
A prototype is valuable because it validates the idea before larger spending happens — not because the demo looks impressive on its own.
Compress the problem first
Define the risky question, the workflow, and the boundary, then build the smallest version that can test it credibly. A single day together is often enough to start.
Clarify the next decision
The real output is not just a demo. It is a clearer answer about whether to stop, refine, move into MVP scope, or build the production product.
The offer
Buy time, or buy an answer
A day or a week is time: you point at a problem and we build something that helps by the end of it. A prototype is a deliverable: one question, named up front, answered with evidence you can take to whoever is holding the budget.
per day
NZD 500
A day with Shan
About 6 focused hours, in person or over a screen share.
Pick one slow, repetitive, or annoying part of your work. We sit down together and turn AI into something that actually helps by the end of the day.
Best for
Owners and small teams who want real value from AI fast — or anyone who needs an engineer for a day, not a full-time hire.
- A quick call first to pick the highest-value target
- A full day building or automating the real thing — not a demo
- Plain-language notes so your team can keep using it
- Honest advice on what AI is (and is not) worth doing next
per prototype
From NZD 3,500
Fixed price, quoted after we agree the one question it has to answer.
An AI prototype
Ten to fifteen days from the first call to something real people can try.
A deliverable rather than a block of time. We name the riskiest assumption in the idea, build the smallest thing that can test it credibly, and put it in front of real users.
Best for
Teams about to commit real budget to an AI feature, who need evidence rather than a vendor demo before they sign it off.
- The risky question written down before any code is written
- A functional prototype running on your real data
- Measured quality, latency, and running cost — the numbers, not vibes
- Sessions with real users, and what they actually did
- A written recommendation: stop, refine, or move to a build
per week
NZD 1,500
A week with Shan
Four days of about 6 hours each — 4 × 6h across the week, in person or remote.
Enough time to go deeper — connect a few tools, build an internal workflow, and get AI properly woven into how your business runs. Also the simplest way to bring me on part-time for a stretch.
Best for
Teams with more than one bottleneck, or anyone who wants to contract an engineer part-time without the overhead of a permanent hire.
- Everything in a day, with room to tackle several problems
- A working internal tool or connected workflow, not a slide deck
- Integration with the systems you already use
- Documentation, a walkthrough, and a sensible next-steps plan
Proof and fit
Good fit when you need
- An AI idea that needs proof before a full build.
- A workflow where quality, latency, cost, or trust are still uncertain.
- A demo that must be functional enough for real feedback.
- A clearer decision about whether to stop, refine, or build the MVP.
Why this approach works
Shan Studio keeps strategy, UX, and implementation close together. That reduces handoff loss and helps founders move from idea to real product faster.
If the key question is whether the AI workflow is worth pursuing at all, go straight to the AI prototype brief. If the question is no longer “is this worth doing?” but “how should version one ship?”, that is usually closer to startup MVP development.
What that looks like
Real things we could build together
Honest examples of what fits in the time. Bring your own messy process and we'll pick the one most worth doing.
In a day — NZD 500
Automate the report you dread
Turn the monthly report or recurring spreadsheet you rebuild by hand into something that prepares itself, so you just review and send.
An AI assistant for a real task
Set up an AI workflow your team can actually use — drafting replies, summarising documents, or answering repeat questions in your own words.
Stop the copy-paste
Connect two tools that should already talk to each other, so the same information stops getting typed in three different places.
In a week — NZD 1,500
A small internal tool, built and handed over
A focused app for quoting, scheduling, or job tracking — built around how you actually work and left running by the end of the week.
AI woven through a whole workflow
Not one trick, but AI built into a process end to end: intake, drafting, review checkpoints, and output, with your team kept in the loop.
A clear plan for what is next
You finish the week with something working today and a grounded, jargon-free view of where AI is worth your money next.
How the work moves
Scope, shape, build, launch
On a prototype the scope step is the one that matters most: naming the question honestly is what stops the build answering the wrong thing.
01
Scope
Clarify the goal, audience, constraints, and the smallest useful version.
02
Shape
Turn the scope into screens, flows, technical decisions, and a build plan.
03
Build
Implement the core product directly, review progress, and adjust without heavy handoffs.
04
Launch
Prepare the release, fix the rough edges, and define the next iteration from real feedback.
Most focused projects move from scope to first release in weeks, not months.
How I handle your data
Practical AI without handing your business to a black box
Using AI well does not mean giving up control of your information. Here is how that stays true on every day we work together.
- Your tools and accounts only. No surprise software in the stack.
- Access is kept to the minimum needed to get the work done.
- Your data is not used to train AI models unless you explicitly agree in writing.
- You leave the day with a clear handover and a named person — me — to ask.
FAQs
The questions people ask before booking
If something else is on your mind, just email me — a real reply, not a sales sequence.
What is the goal of an AI prototype?
To prove technical feasibility and user interest with the lowest possible investment — before a larger build gets funded.
How fast can we build one?
Typical prototypes take between ten and fifteen days from start to finish.
How much does it cost?
Prototypes start at NZD 3,500 for a functional proof-of-concept. If you would rather buy time than a deliverable, a day is NZD 500 and a week is NZD 1,500 — no retainer, no lock-in.
What happens after the prototype?
You have the data and a roadmap to decide whether to stop, refine, or move into a production build. If the answer is “build”, the prototype work feeds straight into MVP scope.
Can I hire you part-time or on contract instead?
Yes. Book a day, a week, or an ongoing arrangement of a few days a week — a straightforward way to get an engineer for a stretch without the cost and commitment of a permanent hire.
Validate your idea
Tell me the “magic” feature you want to prove. I will tell you honestly whether a prototype can test it in under two weeks — and if a smaller booked day would answer it faster.
NZD 3,500from, per prototype
Or buy time instead: NZD 500 a day, NZD 1,500 a week. Say which one fits and I will tell you if the other is the better buy. Prefer email? Write to me directly.
You'll hear back directly from me within one business day.