Daniel J. Ruiz Contact me

Build the right thing, the first time.

I talk to your customers, work out what they actually need, and scope a first version worth building, before anyone writes a line of code.

Tell me what's stuck

Hierro Vivo, the Android habit tracker Daniel built, on Google Play.

Not sure what to build next?

  • You have an idea, not a plan

    You know roughly what you want, but not what to build first or what can wait.

  • Everyone wants something different

    Customers, staff and your own gut all pull in different directions, and every request feels urgent.

  • You built it and nobody used it

    Months of work on a feature, then silence, because nobody checked if people actually wanted it.

  • The list only gets longer

    Feature requests pile up faster than anything ships, and there’s no clear way to choose.

What I do.

Customer research

I talk to your customers and the people you want as customers, to find out what they’re actually trying to do and where they get stuck.

  • Customer interviews
  • What they ask for versus what they need
  • Patterns across conversations
  • A short, readable summary

Scoping the first version

The smallest version that is actually useful. I work out what goes in, what waits, and why.

  • A clear first version
  • What we are leaving out, and why
  • Simple written requirements
  • A realistic timeline

Roadmap and priorities

A short list of what to do next, in order, so every request has a place and the team stops guessing.

  • A prioritized roadmap
  • A way to judge new requests
  • What to say no to
  • Updated as you learn

Prototypes and MVPs

I use AI to build working software, so your idea gets in front of real people instead of stopping at a sketch.

  • Clickable prototypes
  • Working first versions
  • Built with AI
  • Tested with real users

Working with builders

If you already have a developer or agency, I write down what to build so it gets built right the first time.

  • Clear specs and user flows
  • Questions answered for the team
  • Reviewing what gets built
  • Less back and forth

Launch and learn

Shipping is the start. I watch how people use it, find what is confusing, and decide what to fix next.

  • Launch plan
  • Early user feedback
  • What to fix first
  • Next version planned

Testimonials

What clients say.

I have worked with Daniel many times over the last four years on various projects. He has always done an amazing job, taking all work extremely seriously and delivering as agreed, on time, and with high-quality results. He also has a great and diverse skillset of services he provides and is a specialist and a jack of all trades at the same time!
Joseph G.Founder, Salesmrkt
Daniel is versatile [with] great communication skills. I had the pleasure of working with him for over a year and plan to work with him in the near future.
Mike VolkinFounder, Volkinator Enterprises
Daniel is a pleasure to work with. He is hard working, shows initiative, and has excellent work ethic… Daniel is your guy!
Shannon KuykendallFounder, In the Feed

Taking on new clients

Let’s get it off your plate.

Tell me what’s going on. I’ll tell you what I’d do first and what it would cost, whether that’s hourly, by the project, or a few hours every month.