I hope that guy's a good programmer LOL! (I have a knack of doing things they can't do, or doing it "smaller".)
He may not know or like PICs, but he should be able to describe what to do - eg, initialise (clear memory, buffers etc), set up inputs & outputs, pre-load variables, and run the program. The program may do whatever before looping awaiting input changes whereupon it does whatever and re-waits. Those things never change, it's just how it gets implemented (eg, an a PIC-08 that does not have "interrupts".)
Sequencer - I overlooked that.
The PIC 08 which has only 8 pins as opposed to those with 16, 24, 40, 132 etc - has few i/o (input/output) pins. 2 are for power which leaves a max of 6 pins but one or more may have a dedicated function though newer models can multi-function the older "dedicated" pins.
Assume the 08M2 (the later PC 08 version) can use all 6 non-power pins. One is a dedicated input which leaves a max of 5 outputs (of which one is a dedicated output anyway).
5 outputs is probably not enough for a sequencer - especially of one output is going to be a PWM for dimming.
Of course if you have 2 inputs - maybe 1 for sequencing and 1 for dimming, that leaves 4 outputs.
There are all sorts of tricks that can be used, but that's part of the design. It might be easier using a separate 4017 decade counter (which can count or sequence from 2 to 10, and higher with more 4017s) than adding a binary decoder to the 3 PIC08 outputs for a
7-sequencer, or combining 2 or 3 inputs via resistors etc to allow more outputs.
You could use a bigger PIC, but I've been concentrating only on the smaller 08 8-pin version since its the same size as the smallest typical chips (eg, 555 timer, many SMPS controllers, etc) and can do so much more.
The aforementioned "tricks" is where it becomes a buzz. That buzz may be from realising a more efficient program, or overcoming limitation - like how do I input 10 switches into an 8-pin PIC? Connect them via a resistive network to one pin and have the PIC sense the (at least) 11 different analog voltages.
It's getting to that stage that can be a pain.
I found that computering (as in uPCs, CPUs etc) was a discipline that had a high initial threshold - a steep learning curve before anything made sense or could be done. (Guitar was too steep for me so I bashed drums instead LOL.)
But PICs make it somewhat easy for novices. No address or data busses or crystals to worry about, nor memory clearing or vectoring.
But dimming etc IMO - definitely PIC.
And example at hand - I recently fitted electric windows to my ute.
I've decided that mere off-on-off is too fast for small adjustments. Hence I want a soft-start circuit.
Though it could be an analog soft-start, I don't want to worry about heating and heatsinks, nor adjustments for that matter. So PWM is my intent.
Why use a PIC for this? Well, I was looking for a 555 PWM circuit that would ramp-up when power was applied.
Not that I found one, but I was going to figure out how it could be done...
But a PIC would be fewer components. And if I wanted to change the ramp up time I wouldn't have to change any components, just change one variable.
Furthermore, a 555 PWM will not turn "fully on" - it may have a 99.99% duty cycle. but it's still switching.
The PIC can be programmed to stay on when the PWM duty cycle gets above 99% or 99.9% etc.
The PIC can also have a reprogrammable threshold like say start at 30% because below that isn't enough to start the motor, or start at 100% before quickly dropping to to 10% or 30% whatever (since motors may have a starting threshold).
It's all programmable. Add if you need to. Change if you need to. No soldering iron involved - just a serial interface.
Of course the above is preemptive. That's your next project. I don't even know the intent/design!