Connection is not a product.
A three-week decision sprint for US community banks, credit unions and CUSOs — use cases worth offering, FedNow vs RTP vs both, liquidity and ops, vendors, and a 12-month plan.
3 weeks · Fixed fee quoted after a short scoping call
Who this is for
- Community banks, credit unions and CUSOs under pressure to 'do instant payments'
- CIOs and heads of payments who need a business case, not a connectivity checkbox
- Teams choosing FedNow, RTP or both with honest liquidity and ops implications
Name the use cases. I frame the rail choice and the 12-month plan.
Rails without use cases burn capital
Instant payments programmes fail quietly when the institution connects a rail without deciding what it will offer, how liquidity works, and who runs exceptions after hours. FedNow and RTP are different products with overlapping marketing. This sprint forces use cases, rail choice, operating model and vendor options into one business case a board can approve — then a 12-month plan into implementation oversight if you want it.
How the decision becomes fundable
- Use casesWhat you will actually offer customers — not 'instant' as a slogan.
- Rail and opsFedNow, RTP or both, with liquidity and operating model named.
- 12-month planVendor path and sequenced delivery into implementation oversight.
What you leave with
- Use cases worth offeringPrioritised products, not connection for its own sake
- Rail choice: FedNow, RTP or bothDecision record with trade-offs a board can follow
- Liquidity and operating modelTreasury and ops picture for continuous credits
- Vendor optionsScored path into build or buy
- 12-month planSequenced programme into implementation oversight
How the three weeks run
- Week 1Lock use-case candidates, stakeholders and current stack. Leave with a shortlist worth a business case.
- Week 2Rail choice, liquidity and operating model, vendor options. Leave with a scored decision frame.
- Week 3Package the business case and 12-month plan. Leave with a path into implementation oversight if you proceed.
Scope fence
This is payments product and architecture advisory. I am not FedNow, The Clearing House, or your core processor.
In scope
- Use-case and rail decision framing
- Liquidity and operating-model design
- Vendor options and 12-month plan
- Business case for board or ALCO
Out of scope
- Scheme or network membership filing as your agent
- Building or operating the rail
- Open-ended vendor sales cycles without a decision
- Legal or compliance opinions
If you only need a pipe connected, keep your processor. If you need a product decision, start here.
What I need from you
- A named owner across product, treasury, ops and technology
- Current payments architecture and any instant-payments packs — under NDA
- A decision-maker present for the week-3 readout
3 weeks · Fixed fee quoted after a short scoping call