AI Strategy & Implementation

Strategic guidance plus hands-on development. From roadmaps and feasibility to building production AI systems that deliver real business value.

20+ years building production systems. Pittsburgh-based.

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  • • Strategic guidance: AI roadmaps, feasibility analysis, and decision support
  • • Hands-on development: MVPs, POCs, and production AI systems
  • • End-to-end implementation: RAG, custom copilots, intelligent automation
  • • Plus full stack engineering when you need it

20+ years building and shipping software

Hands-on leader across frontend, backend, mobile, and cloud

Production first approach with CI/CD, monitoring, incident response, and performance

Startup speed with enterprise discipline

Weekly demos and clear updates, no surprises

AI Strategy & Implementation

Strategic guidance combined with hands-on development. From roadmaps and feasibility analysis to building production AI systems that deliver real business value.

What We Do Best

FEATURED

AI Strategy & Roadmap

Strategic guidance to cut through the hype. We identify real AI opportunities, assess technical feasibility, model costs, and build practical roadmaps with clear ROI targets. Advisory and hands-on implementation planning.

Deliverables: opportunity assessment, feasibility analysis, cost modeling, implementation roadmap, risk mitigation, technical guidance

FEATURED

AI MVP & Proof of Concept

Strategic validation combined with hands-on development. We guide you through the decision process, then build rapid prototypes that prove value, test assumptions, and inform your production roadmap.

Deliverables: strategic consultation, working prototype, performance metrics, cost analysis, production recommendations

FEATURED

Production AI Systems

End-to-end AI implementation with strategic oversight. We architect, build, and deploy reliable, scalable AI features like RAG-powered search, custom copilots, intelligent automation, content generation, and vision processing. Includes ongoing guidance for optimization.

Deliverables: architecture design, full implementation, guardrails, monitoring, cost optimization, strategic guidance

Plus Full-Stack Engineering

MVP & Product Development

Turn your idea into a production-ready v1. Fast iterations, clean architecture, and a path to scale.

Deliverables: roadmap, core features, auth, data model, deployment, analytics

Bug Fixes & Rescue Work

When something's broken, slow, or blocking release, we jump in, diagnose fast, and ship the fix.

Deliverables: root-cause analysis, fixes, hardening, regression coverage

Modernization & Refactors

Upgrade your stack and reduce tech debt safely. Improve maintainability without stopping the business.

Deliverables: migration plan, incremental refactors, cleanup, best practices

Performance & Reliability

Faster apps, fewer incidents, better visibility. Monitoring, alerting, load/perf improvements that actually move metrics.

Deliverables: performance tuning, observability, incident playbooks, cost wins

Fractional Tech Leadership

Senior guidance when you're growing. Architecture decisions, delivery process, hiring support, and execution.

Deliverables: tech strategy, reviews, planning, team systems, guardrails

Data Migration & Strategy

Move data safely between systems, design scalable data architecture, and build ETL pipelines that handle complexity.

Deliverables: migration plan, data mapping, ETL pipelines, validation, rollback strategy

API Development & Integration

Build robust APIs or connect third-party services. REST, GraphQL, webhooks, and enterprise integrations done right.

Deliverables: API design, documentation, authentication, rate limiting, integration testing

DevOps & Infrastructure

CI/CD pipelines, cloud infrastructure, containerization, and deployment automation to ship faster with confidence.

Deliverables: automated deployments, infrastructure as code, monitoring, scaling strategy

Security & Compliance

Security audits, vulnerability fixes, compliance prep (SOC2, HIPAA), and secure architecture that protects your business.

Deliverables: security assessment, penetration testing, compliance docs, hardening

Not sure where AI fits in your business? Let's talk strategy.

Book a Free AI Strategy Call

How it works

1. Quick discovery (30–45 min)

Align on goals, timeline, constraints, and success metrics.

2. Assess (1–3 days)

Review code, architecture, and pain points. Identify highest ROI work.

3. Plan

Clear scope, milestones, and weekly deliverables.

4. Build & ship

Weekly demos, PRs, and transparent progress.

5. Handoff or ongoing support

Documentation, cleanup, and the next plan.

Clear updates, clean code, and measurable progress every week.

About Steel City DevWorks

I'm Josh Martin, an AI consultant and engineering leader who provides both strategic guidance and hands-on implementation. With 20+ years shipping production systems and dozens of AI integration projects, I help businesses navigate the AI landscape with confidence. From roadmaps and feasibility analysis to building production-ready AI systems, I deliver practical solutions that drive real ROI. Strategic advisory plus full technical implementation, backed by deep engineering expertise.

What you'll get working with me:

Strategic guidance plus hands-on development expertise

End-to-end support: from roadmaps to production systems

Clear communication, no AI buzzwords or overselling

Fast response times and rapid prototyping

20+ years building production systems that scale

Full-stack engineering depth when AI needs infrastructure

Engagement Options

AI Consulting & Engineering Services

Start with an AI strategy call, validate with a proof of concept, or dive into production implementation. Full-stack engineering support is available as needed.

We focus on practical AI implementation, delivering real results without the hype.

AI Strategy Session

Strategic guidance to cut through the hype. Identify opportunities, assess technical feasibility, and build a practical roadmap.

  • • Opportunity assessment
  • • Technical feasibility analysis
  • • Cost modeling & ROI targets
  • • Implementation roadmap & guidance

Duration: 2–4 hours

AI MVP / POC

Strategic validation plus hands-on development. Rapid prototype that proves value and informs decisions.

  • • Strategic consultation
  • • Working prototype
  • • Performance metrics & cost analysis
  • • Production recommendations

Typical: 1–2 weeks

Production AI System

End-to-end implementation with strategic oversight. Build reliable, scalable AI features with ongoing guidance.

  • • Architecture design & planning
  • • Full implementation
  • • Guardrails, monitoring & optimization
  • • Strategic guidance & handoff

Typical: 3–6 weeks

Most popular

Ongoing Partnership

Continuous strategic guidance plus hands-on development. Iterate fast, ship weekly, scale with confidence.

  • • Strategic advisory + implementation
  • • Dedicated weekly capacity
  • • AI features + full stack development
  • • Architecture guidance + reviews
Book a call

I'll reply with a quick plan + next steps.

Custom

Need something different? Let's talk about your specific needs and build a custom engagement.

  • • Flexible scope and timeline
  • • Tailored to your requirements
  • • Team augmentation options
  • • Long-term partnerships

Let's discuss your needs

Get in touch

Notes

  • • AI projects priced based on scope, complexity, and data requirements.
  • • All engagements include clear deliverables and success metrics.
  • • Rush / priority work available when scheduling allows.

FAQ

Businesses and startups that need AI strategy, implementation guidance, or hands-on development. From AI roadmaps and feasibility analysis to building production AI systems. Also full-stack engineering for teams that need it.

Both. We can do fixed-scope projects, monthly retainers, or hourly rescue work depending on what you need.

Yes. I provide strategic guidance (roadmaps, feasibility analysis, decision support) and hands-on technical implementation (building MVPs, POCs, and production AI systems). You get both the strategic thinking and the code.

I work with ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, and custom AI models. Common implementations include RAG systems, custom copilots, intelligent automation, AI chat, content generation, and vision processing. I help you choose the right technology for your use case and budget.

Book a call. If it's a fit, I'll propose a short assessment or a clear first milestone.

Absolutely. I can provide strategic advisory to your team, integrate with your development process, do PRs, lead delivery, and set up guardrails. Works for both AI projects and full-stack engineering.

For AI: ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, RAG systems, vector databases, and LLM orchestration. For full-stack: React and Next.js, Node with GraphQL or REST, mobile with iOS and Swift, Firebase, and cloud infrastructure.

Let's build something that lasts.

Tell me what you're building, what's stuck, and your timeline. I'll respond quickly.

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