What happens during solution planning before development, and is it paid?
Solution planning establishes why the product should be built, what belongs in the first release, which uncertainties must be tested, and how the result will be accepted. Depending on the project, it can include stakeholder interviews, the current workflow, users and permissions, scope and exclusions, prototypes, data and integrations, technical proofs, milestones, and the evidence behind the estimate.
Wavesteam's published 30-minute introductory conversation is free. It is intended to identify the direction, obvious constraints, and a sensible next step. If a small requirement is already clear, we may be able to proceed directly to a proposal.
When planning milestones, resources, and acceptance, also compare Should a two-phase software project be planned as a whole or delivered in independent stages? and How should the process and service scope of a large software project be defined?; the linked guidance adds context that should be considered in the same decision.
Work that requires several interviews, a detailed PRD, interactive prototype, interface investigation, data assessment, or a technical proof creates reusable project assets and consumes delivery capacity. We therefore scope and price it as a separate planning engagement, or state explicitly that it is included in a signed development contract.
Before paid planning begins, the written scope identifies activities, timing, fee, deliverables, source formats, review and acceptance, and rights to use or share the output. The client can then continue with Wavesteam or, where the agreed license permits, use those artefacts with another team. Paying for planning does not automatically require buying implementation; receiving a free conversation does not automatically transfer Wavesteam's underlying templates or a complete design.