Resources · Buying
Pick the engagement shape before you write the RFP.
Staff aug, fixed scope, monthly retainer, governed MCP, or fractional leadership. Honest no if you want a junior bench. Not a sales deck.
Staff aug and a findings packet are not the same purchase
Buyers collapse extra hands, a point-in-time audit, a monthly retainer, and agent infrastructure into one Slack thread. Maxiom will not staff junior engineers onto client work, and will not hide delivery inside an audit SOW. This picker is the self-serve version of how Maxiom works: which shape fits the job, including Maxiom Dev when you own the process and need senior capacity.
Who this is for
- VPs of Engineering and procurement partners arguing staff aug versus a productized SKU.
- Founders who need a defined outcome (findings, MVP slice, MCP server) rather than a bench.
- Leaders comparing CTO advisory with delivery and wanting the same worksheet.
What you get
- A recommended shape with why, what it is not, and a next URL.
- A pointer to Maxiom Dev when the honest answer is senior staff augmentation.
- Copy or print. Then use the engagement scope builder if you need the outline on one page.
Frequently asked questions
What is the engagement model picker?
A short questionnaire that maps the job (extra hands, defined outcome, independent review, agents on systems, leadership, clinical product) to a shape Maxiom will actually sell: staff aug, fixed-scope, retainer, MCP project, or an honest no. It is not a quote.
How is this different from the engagement scope builder?
The scope builder writes the outline (problem, stack, NDA, named engineer). This picker decides which commercial shape that outline should live in. Use the picker first if you are still arguing staff aug versus a productized SKU.
Do you staff junior engineers?
No. If you optimize for lowest cost per head, the picker will say we are not the fit. Senior capacity under your process lives at Maxiom Dev. Maxiom Technology sells outcomes with a named engineer.
What models can it recommend?
Staff augmentation (Maxiom Dev), point-in-time AI code audit, monthly oversight, governed MCP, fixed-scope delivery, a dedicated team, CTO advisory, or healthcare / BAA-capable engineering (HIPAA software and Maxiom Labs).
Will filling this book an engagement?
No. It produces a recommended shape and a Markdown note. Fit still takes a scoping call. If we are not the right firm, we will say so.
Why a work email?
Same gate as the checklist PDF and the other Resources tools. Unlock, pick, export. No second CRM.
Can I export the recommendation?
Yes. Print or save as PDF from the browser, and copy Markdown. Send it to procurement or legal so NDA and named-engineer language show up before anyone asks for GitHub org admin.
What if we need extra hands, not a SKU?
That is staff augmentation when you own the process. The picker will send you to maxiom.dev. Do not buy an audit hoping it secretly staffs a team.
Where is the Maxiom delivery model documented?
How Maxiom works: senior engineers, NDA first, read-only default, client code stays put. This tool is that judgment in self-serve form.
Launch
Launch the picker
Sign in with a work email, then run the tool in this page. Client code stays in your environment.
Work email to continue
Unlock Engagement model picker
Same gate as the AI Code Risk Checklist. Unlock once per browser session to use or export. Client code stays in your environment: this tool never asks for a repository.
- Questionnaire only: no source upload
- Print or save a one-pager from the browser
- Unlocks the other Resources tools in this session