Services — Full Scope
We design and build open data systems that last.
Zimmerman offers a suite of data services built for reliability, scalability, and long-term maintainability in the international development sector. Our technical stack emphasises open source technology and transparent infrastructure — from architecture to the last pixel.
Service Capabilities & Specifications
The following capabilities and their core services form applications and standard implementations across our portfolio.
Service Name
Service Scope
Timeline
Considerations
Open Data Platforms
Make your data accessible, trusted, and reusable
Discovery
Design
Delivery
Deployment
Maintenance
Data governance models
Interoperability with existing systems
Long-term maintenance strategy
Data Visualisations & Dashboards
Turn complexity into clarity
Discovery
Design
Delivery
Deployment
Maintenance
Audience and user context
Narrative vs. exploratory balance
Performance at scale
Data Architecture & APIs
Build foundations, not silos
Discovery
Design
Delivery
Deployment
Maintenance
Scalability and future growth
Security and access control
Vendor lock-in risks
Documentation and developer experience
Data Repositories
Secure, well-governed data at rest
Discovery
Design
Delivery
Deployment
Maintenance
Backup and redundancy strategy
Long-term preservation
Data integrity guarantees
Design Systems & UX
Consistency at scale through shared design
Discovery
Design
Delivery
Deployment
Maintenance
Governance of design system
Accessibility standards
Component reusability
Brand coherence
User Research
Design with people, for people
Discovery
Design
Delivery
Deployment
Maintenance
Data visualization literacy design
Stakeholder bias mitigation
Rapid prototyping integration
AI-Ready Data
Prepare data and systems for machine intelligence
Discovery
Design
Delivery
Deployment
Maintenance
Explainability of datasets
Metadata standards
Interoperability with AI platforms
Transparency
Technical Advisory
Make data strategic, not just technical
Discovery
Design
Delivery
Deployment
Maintenance
Future-oriented thinking
Policy alignment
Capacity building
Risk mitigation
Engagement Models
We offer flexible engagement structures to match your organization's needs and capacity.
Retainer
Ongoing partnership & capacity
Scope
Continuous technical support, feature development, and strategic advisory on an ongoing basis with allocated monthly hours.
Timeline
6-12 months minimumBest Fit For
Organizations requiring sustained support, iterative development, or strategic technical guidance over time.
Pricing Approach
Fixed monthly fee based on allocated capacity (hours/FTE). Predictable budgeting with flexible scope prioritization.
Project
Defined outcomes & deliverables
Scope
Fixed-scope engagements with defined deliverables, milestones, and success criteria. Clear start and end dates.
Timeline
2-6 months typicalBest Fit For
Organizations with well-defined requirements, specific deliverables, and clear project boundaries.
Pricing Approach
Fixed-price or time & materials based on scope complexity. Milestone-based payments aligned to delivery phases.
Advisory
Strategic guidance & expertise
Scope
Strategic consulting on data architecture, technology decisions, open standards adoption, and organizational capacity building.
Timeline
Flexible, ad-hocBest Fit For
Organizations seeking expert guidance on technical strategy, architecture decisions, or navigating complex data challenges.
Pricing Approach
Hourly or day-rate billing. Workshop and audit packages available for focused interventions.
Have a data platform or transparency initiative in mind?
We partner with public-good organisations to build the data infrastructure their mission depends on.