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Is This Standard or R&D?

This page helps Presales Engineers and Partners decide
whether a customer request falls under Standard Delivery
or requires a Custom R&D scope.

This decision directly affects:

  • pricing expectations
  • delivery timelines
  • resource planning
  • customer satisfaction

The Core Question​

Ask yourself:

Are we configuring existing capabilities,
or creating new logic, behavior, or architecture?

If you are configuring → Standard
If you are creating → R&D

What Is Considered Standard?​

Standard work uses existing GridStudio capabilities
without changing platform behavior.

Typical Standard Scenarios​

  • Predefined conversational flows
  • Known channels (WhatsApp, WebChat, Social)
  • Public REST APIs
  • Simple data mapping
  • Business rules with clear logic
  • Human handover & routing
  • Common CRM / calendar integrations
tip

If it can be explained as a configuration change, it is standard.

What Is Considered R&D?​

R&D work introduces new logic, new behavior, or new constraints.

Typical R&D Scenarios​

  • No API or undocumented systems
  • Custom decision engines
  • Multi-agent AI reasoning
  • Real-time data processing
  • On-prem or restricted infrastructure
  • Custom security or compliance logic
  • Hardware, IoT, or streaming data
  • Unclear or evolving requirements
warning

If the scope is unclear, it is R&D by default.

Quick Classification Checklist​

Answer honestly:

1. Is there a documented API?​

  • Yes → Standard
  • No / Partial → R&D

2. Is the business logic already known?​

  • Yes → Standard
  • Needs discovery or experimentation → R&D

3. Is AI behavior predefined?​

  • Prompt + intent based → Standard
  • Requires reasoning, learning, or adaptation → R&D

4. Can delivery be estimated confidently?​

  • Yes → Standard
  • “We’ll see as we go” → R&D

Comparison Table​

AreaStandardR&D
Known solution pattern✅
Clear effort estimate✅
Uses existing blocks✅
New architecture✅
Experimental AI logic✅
Technical unknowns✅
Fixed scope✅
Discovery required✅

Presales Golden Rules​

Rule #1​

If engineering says

“We need to test this”
→ R&D

Rule #2​

If delivery depends on third-party behavior
→ R&D

Rule #3​

Never sell R&D as configuration.

Say this instead:

“This part requires an R&D phase before final scope and pricing.”

How to Explain This to Customers​

Use this framing:

“Standard work is configuration using proven components.
R&D is when we design something specifically for your business.”

How to Explain This to Partners​

“Standard projects scale.
R&D projects differentiate.”

Final Safety Check​

If you are unsure:

  • classify as R&D
  • propose a discovery phase
  • protect delivery quality
tip

Downscoping from R&D to standard is always easier than the opposite.