RefactorOps

RefactorOpsTurning engineering chaos into profit.

Frameworks, tools, and advisory that help technical organizations eliminate waste, fix broken delivery processes, and operate like profit centers; not cost centers.

Built by real engineering leaders who've led multi‑million‑dollar delivery teams.

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RefactorOps Explained

RefactorOps gives engineering leaders the frameworks, tools, and advisory support to build clarity, predictability, and performance into every sprint. From templates to transformation programs, we turn complex delivery into measurable business value.

The Technical Leader’s Field Guide

Stop being the firefighter. Start being the person everyone trusts.

A practical field guide for technical leads, architects, and new CTOs who are tired of chaos, vague requirements, and scope creep.

Who it's for

  • Promoted to "lead," but nobody actually trained you.
  • Accountable for delivery in a political mess.
  • Told to "just figure it out."

What you'll learn

  • Enforce Definition of Done your team and stakeholders respect.
  • Stop scope creep without sounding difficult.
  • Run architecture reviews that build alignment.
  • Make delivery predictable again.

Written by Michael Smith — CTO, founder of RefactorOps, and the guy brought in when delivery is already on fire.

The Technical Leader's Field Guide book cover showing practical frameworks for technical leaders
  • ◆14+ years leading multi-million-dollar delivery teams.
  • ◆Built from real client work where being wrong costs money.
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What People Are Saying

“This is an excellent book. I wish I’d known this stuff when managing projects in my old IT career.”

Principal Technical PM

“Every manager should have a copy on their desk.”

Lead Software Engineer

“A practical, experience‑driven guide full of sensible defaults and real‑world lessons.”

Senior Engineering Manager

“A great articulation of how to set expectations internally and externally.”

Solutions Architect

Free Templates

Fix one problem today. Start with these free frameworks for immediate clarity.

Definition of Done

Set standards, stop rework.

Download DOD Framework (PDF)

Scope Starter

The systems and scripts to help you define, defend, and deliver scope with clarity.

Download Scope Starter Kit (PDF)

T‑Minus Tracker

Prevent indecision from killing velocity.

Download T-Minus Template (PDF)

Workshops & Training

Your team doesn’t need motivation. They need a playbook. RefactorOps workshops install that playbook in a day.

Foundations of Technical Leadership

Your leads stop firefighting and start running delivery like owners. We cover Definition of Ready/Done, scope control with stakeholders, and daily execution habits.

1‑day workshop — $1,995/team

Rapid Estimation

Stop guessing timelines in front of a client and then praying it works out. Teach PMs and leads how to set expectations fast — and keep themselves out of scope jail later.

Half‑day workshop — $995/team

Process Bootcamp

We go inside your delivery process, rip out waste, and harden accountability. Your team walks out with a working operating model — not theory.

2‑day intensive — $3,500‑$4,500/team

Complete Delivery Services

When fixing the system isn't enough, we'll build it for you.

Some challenges can't wait for a workshop. Your SOC2 audit is in 8 weeks. Your legacy platform is costing you deals. Your delivery process is hemorrhaging margin.

RefactorOps delivers complete technical transformation projects for mid-market companies and agencies who need problems solved, not just documented.

What We Deliver

  • SOC2 Compliance Readiness
    Gap analysis, policy documentation, implementation, and audit prep. Get compliant in 6-8 weeks, not 6 months.
    Typical engagement: $75k-100k
  • Legacy Platform Migrations
    Assessment, architecture, implementation, and launch. Move off that Drupal 7 site or legacy CMS without business disruption.
    Typical engagement: $200k-400k
  • Technical Operations Buildout
    From chaos to system. We audit your current state, design your operating model, implement processes, and train your team.
    Typical engagement: $75k-150k
  • Delivery Process Transformation
    Fix broken delivery end-to-end: estimation, staffing, quality gates, client management. Built from real agency work, not consulting theory.
    Typical engagement: $100k-200k

How It Works

  • Week 1-2: Discovery and scoping
  • Week 3-14: We build, you stay informed
  • Final Weeks: Training, handoff, documentation

You get working systems, not recommendations. No staff aug, no ongoing retainers, no dependencies. Projects start at $75k. Most run $150k-500k depending on scope.

Built by a professional who’s been where you are.

I’m Michael Smith, founder of RefactorOps and author of The Technical Leader’s Field Guide.

After 14 years leading delivery teams and inheriting more “on fire” projects than I can count, I realized most technical chaos isn’t a people problem — it’s a system problem.

RefactorOps exists to fix that system. We help technical leaders build clarity, accountability, and predictable delivery, without adding layers of process or management fluff. Everything we teach has been battle-tested on real client work where being wrong costs money.

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