Engagements
Three ways the work
can be structured
Each engagement is self-contained, priced plainly, and sized to what the situation asks for — not what a sales process recommends.
← Return Home§ I — Method
How Ondoria approaches each situation
Before any engagement begins, there is an exchange of correspondence in which Ondoria reads the question the client is holding and considers whether one of the three engagement forms is a reasonable fit. This is not a sales process — it is a preliminary reading, and it costs nothing.
If an engagement is agreed, its scope is fixed in writing before work begins. Ondoria does not expand scope without a new written agreement, and does not continue beyond the agreed boundary without explicit invitation.
All deliverables are returned in writing. Meetings are used for exchange and clarification — not as the primary vehicle for advice. The written document is the work, and it is the work the client keeps.
Engagement I
Applied Reading
A written engagement in which the firm reads a client's situation as a working document and returns a considered response. The reading covers the question the client is asking, the materials they have to hand, and the constraints within which any future system would need to live.
The deliverable is a written paper supported by static schematics. It is intended for clients who would value careful framing before commitment to a particular technical path.
- Written situation paper (10–20 pages)
- Static structural schematics
- Constraint and material review
- Completed in 2–3 weeks
Engagement II
Quiet Pilot
A small applied pilot conducted in close conversation with the client team. The pilot tests a single hypothesis about how an applied model might assist a particular operational question. Outputs are restricted to what the team can examine and reason about together.
The pilot does not assume continuation; the engagement closes with a written record that the client may use as the basis for a wider discussion.
- Single-hypothesis pilot design
- Team-examnable outputs only
- Written closing record
- Typically 4–8 weeks in duration
Engagement III
Practice Counsel
A retained counsel arrangement, typically twelve months in length, supporting an in-house data or engineering function as it develops applied capability. The counsel reads ongoing work, sits in monthly meetings on invitation, and offers written reflection at quarterly intervals.
The counsel takes no operational role; its place is to offer steady, considered company to a team finding its own way.
- Monthly meeting attendance (on invitation)
- Quarterly written reflections
- Ongoing reading of team's work
- 12-month standard arrangement
§ II — Comparison
Choosing the right engagement
If you are uncertain which engagement fits your situation, the Applied Reading is usually the right starting point.
| Feature | Applied Reading | Quiet Pilot | Practice Counsel |
|---|---|---|---|
| Written deliverable | |||
| Applied model work | — | Advisory only | |
| Duration | 2–3 weeks | 4–8 weeks | 12 months |
| Price (RM) | 1,180 | 2,860 | 4,720 / yr |
| Continuation assumed | Retained, 12 mo. | ||
| Best suited for | Framing before commitment | Testing a specific hypothesis | Teams building applied capability |
§ III — Across all engagements
Standards that apply regardless of form
Scope fixed in writing
Every engagement is agreed in a written document before work begins. Changes to scope require a new written agreement.
Formal confidentiality
All engagements operate under confidentiality agreements. Client materials and situations are not discussed externally.
PDPA compliance
Data handling in all engagements conforms with Malaysia's Personal Data Protection Act 2010.
Right of refusal
Ondoria reserves the right to decline engagements where the proposed application of AI carries undue risk, regardless of commercial value.
§ IV — Pricing
All prices, stated plainly
Engagement I
Applied Reading
per engagement
- Written situation paper
- Static schematics
- 2–3 week delivery
- Fixed price, no extras
Engagement II
Quiet Pilot
per engagement
- Pilot design & execution
- Team-examnable outputs
- Written closing record
- 4–8 weeks
Engagement III
Practice Counsel
per year
- Monthly meetings
- Quarterly reflections
- Ongoing reading
- 12-month arrangement
§ V
Not sure which fits? Write to us.
A brief description of your situation is enough. We will read it and tell you honestly which engagement, if any, seems like a reasonable fit.
Write to Ondoria