Rescuing Projects. Transforming Teams. Delivering Results.
Senior software consultancy specialising in delivering what others couldn't.
Start-up to Enterprise.
We bring the expertise your project needs, when you need it.
Senior Expertise
20+ years' solving complex technical problems.
We've seen it all and know how to fix it fast.
Flexible Resourcing
Solo consultant or full team - we scale to your needs.
Bring in specialists only when required.
Results Driven
Award-winning products.
Rescued projects.
Transformed teams.
We deliver measurable outcomes.
Stuck? Stalled? Need to Ship?
A premium, fixed-price intervention that turns your idea into a working product, or unsticks a stalled project, in ten decisive business days.
Fixed Price 10 Days Ship or Decide
Apply Now
A Consultancy That Actually Delivers
WhiteFish Creative is a specialist software consultancy led by James Studdart, with 20 years' experience rescuing failing projects, implementing AI capabilities, building proof of concepts, and delivering award-winning products.
James has architected and delivered mission-critical systems for global brands, FTSE companies, and innovative start-ups. From rescuing stalled platform migrations to building award-winning fintech products, he solves the problems other consultancies walk away from.
We're not a large agency with junior developers. You get senior expertise from day one, with the ability to bring in specialist contractors when your project needs them.
Technical expertise: .NET Core/Framework, Python, React, Vue, Azure, AWS, AI/ML integration, microservices architecture, event-driven systems, and cloud-native development.
Published author: Writer of "The Definition of Done and Other Tall Tales" and articles on software architecture, team transformation, and technical strategy, read by thousands of developers and CTOs worldwide.
Ready to discuss your project?
What We Do
Project failing? Third party disaster? We diagnose problems fast and get you back on track.
Need AI in your platform? We implement practical AI that delivers business value.
Validate ideas fast with working prototypes that become production systems.
Get in touch for a no-obligation conversation about your technical challenges.
Our Services
Specialist consultancy services designed to rescue failing projects, implement cutting-edge technology, and deliver what others couldn't.
Project Rescue & Acceleration
Inherited a disaster from a third party? Project running over time and budget? We diagnose what's wrong and get delivery back on track.
- Fix broken pipelines, backends, and frontends across Azure and AWS
- Complete abandoned platforms and bring stalled projects home
- Rapid diagnosis and pragmatic solutions that get you back to delivering value
AI Integration & Implementation
Need AI in your platform? We implement practical AI that delivers business value, not just buzzwords.
- LLM integration, machine learning pipelines, intelligent automation
- Enhance existing platforms with AI capabilities that improve user experience
- Azure OpenAI, custom ML models, API integrations
Proof of Concept & MVP Development
Validate your idea with working software in weeks, not months. Build initial prototypes that become production systems.
- De-risk major technical decisions before full investment
- Technologies: .NET Core, React, Vue, Azure, AWS
- Prototypes designed to scale into full production systems
Technical Leadership & Team Augmentation
Embed with your existing team as technical lead. Turn around underperforming teams and deliver award-winning products.
- Introduce TDD, design patterns, and modern delivery practices
- Hands-on leadership - we code alongside your team
- Proven track record transforming struggling teams into high performers
What Our Clients Say
Don't take our word for it - hear from the CTOs, Engineering Leaders, and Business Directors we've worked with.
Mike Hughes
CTO, Legal Marketing Services
"Highly skilled, experienced and driven, James is one of those Lead Developers that you can drop into a squad and know that he will add value immediately. He is comfortable working with the business to understand requirements, undertaking solutions architecture and design, cutting great code and mentoring colleagues."
Travis Scholes
Commercial Director, LMS
"Clear, concise work. Great ability to adapt and move quickly and to grasp concepts. Happy to recommend and I'd love to work with James again in the future."
Aamir Baloch
Delivery Director, Globant
"James quickly picked up his brief and was able to start delivery. We found him to be a self-starter, capable of picking up new technologies, and providing significant input to our design and architectural choices."
Jamie Taylor
Fractional CTO & Microsoft MVP
"I have had the pleasure of working with James on a number of projects. He is incredibly highly skilled, detail oriented, and his solutions are both elegant and precisely what is required."
Philip Shaw
Engineering Leader, Meta
"James is a highly skilled and well motivated developer who worked on a number of projects that covered a very wide range of skills. I would recommend him to any team wanting a dependable, and first rate developer."
Daniel Brown
Head of Software
"James is one of the most dependable developers I have ever met. He is always open to helping and supporting and I would trust James wholeheartedly for any client work, whether Python or .NET."
Recent Projects
Real outcomes from real projects. Names withheld due to NDAs, but results speak for themselves.
SaaS Platform - AI Integration
Azure | .NET | NextJS | AI
Challenge: Enhance platform capabilities with AI functionality to stay competitive in market.
Solution: Integrated AI features into existing Azure-hosted .NET/NextJS platform whilst maintaining performance and security.
Outcome: Successfully implemented AI capabilities, improving product value and user experience. Platform now offers intelligent features competitors lack.
UK Fintech - Conveyancing Innovation
.NET Core | Azure Functions | CosmosDB | Event Grid
Challenge: Build innovative products to disrupt traditional conveyancing industry.
Solution: Event-driven microservice platform using .NET Core, Azure Functions, CosmosDB, enabling rapid feature development.
Outcome: Multiple award-winning products delivered. Self-service invoice system reduced support calls by 95%. Flagship product gained significant market recognition.
E-commerce - Team Transformation
.NET | React | Magento | Azure
Challenge: Underperforming mixed-technology team struggling with complex delivery and low morale.
Solution: Hands-on leadership, introduced modern practices, delivered alongside team to rebuild confidence and capability.
Outcome: Increased team morale and productivity. Successfully delivered hybrid Magento/React platform with Azure integrations on time.
Global Airport Group - Infrastructure Optimisation
.NET Core | Vue.js | AWS
Challenge: Legacy .NET Framework monolith running on expensive AWS infrastructure with poor performance.
Solution: Rebuilt as distributed .NET Core system, created Vue.js frontend for international airport booking platforms.
Outcome: Reduced AWS hosting costs by over 90% (large VM to micro-instance). Improved performance and scalability whilst supporting airports worldwide.
SaaS Platform - Project Rescue
.NET | NextJS | Azure
Challenge: Platform partially developed by third party who failed to deliver. Project stalled with critical pipeline and architecture issues.
Solution: Diagnosed and fixed broken pipelines, backend, and frontend architecture. Completed missing features to specification.
Outcome: Delivered completed Azure/.NET/NextJS platform. Client able to launch on schedule despite previous supplier failure.
Manufacturing - Global IoT Platform
.NET Core | Blazor | MAUI | AWS
Challenge: Integrate globally distributed hardware with complex data synchronisation requirements across continents.
Solution: Built AWS-hosted platform with .NET Core backend, Blazor and MAUI applications for global hardware integration.
Outcome: Initial prototype successfully evolved into production system. Enabled real-time global operations and data synchronisation for distributed hardware.
Insights & Thought Leadership
Published author. Articles on software architecture, team transformation, and technical strategy. Read by thousands of developers and CTOs worldwide.
Published Book
The Definition of Done and Other Tall Tales
A unique fusion of poetry and programming concepts, exploring the intersection of code and creativity.
Where technical problem-solving meets poetic verse. Available on Amazon in paperback and Kindle.
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Navigating Technology Choices: A Developers’s Guide to Adaptability in Software Development
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The Power of Prototyping: Software for Success
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