Terms of Engagement
Clear terms for a fixed-scope, written-first practice. These terms govern all engagements conducted through this website and related business communications.
Last updated: March 2026 — Jamie Forrester, Edinburgh, UK
What these engagements are
Jamie Forrester provides two fixed-scope written services: a Diagnostic Artifact and a Redesign Artifact. Each engagement results in a single structured written document delivered within 14 days of engagement commencement.
Engagements are confirmed only after a fit assessment. The scope of each engagement is agreed in writing before work begins. This agreement constitutes the full scope of the service.
Not included in any engagement
- Implementation, build execution, or delivery ownership
- Programme management or transformation leadership
- Ongoing advisory, coaching, or retainer access
- Stakeholder facilitation or alignment workshops
- Legal, financial, regulatory, or compliance advice
- Any work beyond the agreed written artifact
Intake and fit assessment
All engagements begin with a five-line brief submitted by email. Receipt of a brief does not constitute acceptance of an engagement. Jamie Forrester will assess fit and confirm or decline within a reasonable timeframe. There is no charge for the fit assessment stage.
Scope confirmation
If the engagement is accepted, the scope is confirmed in writing before work begins. The scope confirmation sets the boundary of the work. Any material change to the scope after confirmation requires a separate written agreement and may result in a new engagement.
Delivery
The artifact will be delivered within 14 days of engagement commencement, subject to timely receipt of all required materials from the client. Delivery timelines may be extended where client-side delays occur.
Clarification pass
One minor clarification pass is included after delivery. This covers clarification of the document as delivered — not new analysis, revised scope, extended research, or additional deliverables. Any request that falls outside this scope will be treated as a new engagement.
Fee structure
The Diagnostic Artifact is priced at a fixed fee of £10,000. The Redesign Artifact is priced between £15,000 and £25,000 depending on scope, complexity, and the number of interfaces involved. The exact fee is agreed in writing before work begins.
Fees are stated exclusive of VAT where applicable. Invoices will specify applicable VAT.
Payment terms
50% of the agreed fee is invoiced on scope confirmation and is due before work commences. The remaining 50% is invoiced on delivery of the artifact and is due within 14 days of delivery. Work will not begin until the first invoice is settled. The first payment is non-refundable once work has commenced.
Ownership of the artifact does not transfer until the second invoice is paid in full. Late payment of the second invoice may result in withholding of the delivered artifact until settlement.
Expenses
No expenses are incurred in the normal course of these engagements. All work is conducted remotely. If any out-of-pocket expenses are necessary, they will be agreed in writing in advance and invoiced at cost.
Currency
All fees are quoted and invoiced in British Pounds Sterling (GBP) unless otherwise agreed in writing.
Disputes
If you believe an invoice is incorrect, notify Jamie Forrester in writing within 7 days of receipt. Undisputed portions of an invoice remain due on the standard payment terms.
Ownership of the delivered artifact
Upon receipt of full payment, the client owns the delivered artifact and may use it internally for any lawful purpose, including circulation to decision owners, builders, and advisers, and as a basis for implementation decisions.
Underlying frameworks and methods
The intellectual property in the analytical frameworks, diagnostic methods, structural models, and proprietary concepts used to produce the artifact — including but not limited to the Four-Function Law, the Universal Formula, and any associated taxonomies or models — remains the property of Jamie Forrester. Ownership of the artifact does not transfer ownership of the underlying methods.
No publication without permission
The artifact may not be published externally, reproduced in whole or in part for public distribution, used in marketing materials, or attributed publicly to Jamie Forrester without prior written permission. This restriction does not limit internal use.
No use as case study
No client materials, engagement details, or artifact content will be used as a case study, reference, or public example without the client's explicit prior written consent.
Treatment of client materials
All materials provided by the client — including documents, diagrams, contracts, workflows, internal records, and any other operational information — are treated as confidential. They are handled only to the extent necessary to assess, scope, and deliver the engagement.
Client materials are not shared with third parties, uploaded to public tools, used to train AI models, or referenced externally without explicit written permission. See also the Privacy Policy for data handling details.
Mutual expectation
Where Jamie Forrester shares working notes, draft materials, or interim documents during the engagement, these are also to be treated as confidential by the client and not shared externally without agreement.
Exceptions
Confidentiality obligations do not apply to information that is already in the public domain, was known to Jamie Forrester before the engagement, or is required to be disclosed by law or regulatory order.
No client materials are used to train AI tools. Where AI-assisted tools are used in the practice, client data is not submitted as input. Client materials are handled only for the purpose of the relevant engagement.
Materials and information
- Provide accurate and complete materials relevant to the agreed scope
- Respond to clarifying questions in a timely manner
- Disclose known constraints, legal restrictions, or material limitations before work begins
- Notify Jamie Forrester promptly if the scope or underlying facts change materially during the engagement
Accuracy of inputs
The quality of the artifact depends on the accuracy and completeness of the materials provided. Jamie Forrester is not liable for errors in the artifact that result from inaccurate, incomplete, or misleading information supplied by the client.
Hidden constraints or material facts discovered after delivery may affect the validity of the analysis. If this occurs, it will be treated as the basis for a new engagement, not a revision of the delivered artifact.
Nature of the service
The artifacts produced are structural analyses and redesign frameworks. They represent professional judgment applied to the materials provided. They are not legal advice, financial advice, regulatory guidance, or guarantees of outcome. Implementation decisions made on the basis of an artifact remain the responsibility of the client.
Limitation of liability
To the fullest extent permitted by law, Jamie Forrester's total liability in connection with any engagement — whether in contract, tort, or otherwise — is limited to the fees paid for that engagement. Jamie Forrester is not liable for indirect, consequential, or special losses, including lost profit, loss of business, or implementation costs.
No warranty of outcome
No warranty is given that following the recommendations in an artifact will produce a specific business outcome. The artifact defines a structural read and a path to change — it does not guarantee that the change will be executed successfully or that the failure will not recur.
Professional standard
Jamie Forrester warrants that the services will be performed with reasonable skill and care, consistent with the standard expected of an experienced independent systems architect.
Termination by the client
The client may terminate an engagement at any time by written notice. The first payment (50% of the agreed fee) is non-refundable where work has commenced. If termination occurs after delivery, the full fee remains due.
Termination by Jamie Forrester
Jamie Forrester may terminate an engagement immediately by written notice if the client materially breaches these terms, fails to pay invoices on time, provides materially inaccurate or misleading information, or if the engagement becomes impractical due to factors outside reasonable control.
Effect of termination
On termination, any work product completed to date may be delivered at Jamie Forrester's discretion. Confidentiality obligations and IP provisions survive termination. Outstanding invoices for work completed remain due and payable.
Force majeure
Neither party is liable for failure to perform obligations where that failure results from circumstances beyond reasonable control, provided the affected party notifies the other promptly and takes reasonable steps to mitigate the impact.
Governing law
These terms are governed by the laws of Scotland and England and Wales. Any dispute arising in connection with an engagement will be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of Scotland.
Dispute resolution
In the event of a dispute, both parties agree to attempt resolution in good faith through direct communication before initiating formal proceedings. Where direct resolution is not possible within 30 days of written notice of a dispute, either party may pursue formal resolution through the courts.
Entire agreement
These terms, together with the written scope confirmation for any specific engagement, constitute the entire agreement between the parties. They supersede all prior discussions, representations, or agreements relating to the subject matter.
Severability
If any provision of these terms is found to be unenforceable, it will be modified to the minimum extent necessary to make it enforceable. The remaining provisions continue in full force.
Updates to these terms
These terms may be updated from time to time. The version in force at the time of scope confirmation governs that engagement. The most current version will always appear on this page.