What's most likely to break after launch?
If you're not completely sure, you're not alone.
Most regulated product teams approach release with unanswered questions:
Will users understand this?
Will they trust it?
Will they make the decisions we expect them to make?
Will support teams inherit problems we haven't seen yet?
We help teams answer those questions before launch through focused release risk validation.
Delivered in under 3 weeks.
When teams call us
We are usually called in when:
the release date is locked,
confidence is lower than anyone wants to admit,
stakeholders are nervous,
internal research slipped,
failure would be difficult to reverse
Especially when:
trust matters,
compliance matter,
user mistakes create operational consequences,
post-launch fixes become expensive
We are not a discovery agency.
We are not embedded support.
We are brought in to pressure-test high-risk workflows before reality does it for you.
Release Assurance Sprint
A focused engagement for teams approaching a high-stakes release.
We stress-test critical workflows with representative users under realistic conditions to uncover:
User confusion that leads to costly mistakes
Trust failures in sensitive journeys
Compliance-sensitive misunderstandings
Workflow assumptions that break under real-world use
Friction likely to generate support demand
Issues that become significantly more expensive once live
Within 3 weeks you receive
Evidence of real release risk
Not opinions. Not assumptions.
Evidence showing where users struggle, lose confidence, or make mistakes that could create downstream consequences.
Prioritised threats
A ranked view of the issues most likely to create operational, compliance, reputational, or support-related problems after launch.
Executive-ready findings
Clear recommendations that stakeholders can act on immediately.
Minimal Internal Demand
Typically:
One kickoff session
Research and validation
One final handover
Your team stays focused on delivery.
We handle the investigation.
Trusted by regulated product teams
10+ years in regulated digital products
2,000+ hours of regulated product research
15 regulated product teams supported
Experience across healthcare, fintech, public sector, and operational systems
Client example
A last minute save
Work with Ofcom uncovered inconsistencies in how critical information was presented to users.
Internally, the issues appeared minor.
Testing showed users rapidly lost confidence once those inconsistencies appeared. Had the workflow launched unchanged, the likely outcome was increased support demand, reduced trust, and expensive remediation work after release.
The issues were prioritised and fixed before launch.
"We knew about it but didn't think it would cause such an issue."
- Project manager, Ofcom
Engagement Options
Release Assurance Sprint
£18,000
For a single workflow, feature, or release-critical interaction.
Regulate workflow Assessment
£32,000
For higher-risk workflows where misunderstanding or friction creates operational consequences.
Enterprise release assurance
From £50,000
For complex operational journeys where failure carries significant operational, reputational, or compliance risk.
For regulated products, the cost of fixing preventable release issues after launch often exceeds the cost of identifying them beforehand.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this usability testing?
Usability is part of it.
The purpose of this work is to identify release risk, trust failures, operational friction, and compliance exposure before launch.
How much involvement is required?
Minimal.
Usually one kickoff session and one final handover.
How quickly can this start?
Typically with 1-2 weeks, depending on scope and availability.
High-Risk Release approaching?
If you're preparing to launch a workflow where failure would be expensive, difficult, or highly visible, we can help you determine:
What needs validating
Where the biggest risks are hiding
What can realistically be tested before launch.