How to Create a Good Idea Brief for Developers

Evolving technology has forced the business world to start thinking digitally to improve the customer experience and to stay competitive. For many businesses this means developing software or applications to fit their needs and those of their customers. If your business is thinking about a new software idea, you’ll need to find a developer who can help you along the way.

But, you’ll need to do more than just tell a team of developers your idea and walk away. You’ll need to communicate your requirements in a clear and efficient way to ensure you end up with a product that will help you meet your goals. You can do this by giving them an idea brief that will help them understand what your business needs and proactively answer their questions.

So, how do you create this brief? Keep reading to understand how to effectively communicate your software idea to developers.

Determine the Problem You’re Solving

The first thing you should think about is what problem your idea solves. Every software or application is the solution to something. For example, internet browsers made the internet more accessible and messaging and collaboration software are used to connect people. Clearly communicating what your software should do is the first step in helping your developers understand what requirements and functionality your software will need to have.

Provide Goals for the Software

Now that you know what problem your software needs to solve, it’s time to think about how your software will provide a solution. Do you want your software to improve customer service, save time, or automate a process? Picking a primary goal will help you and the developers understand what features the software needs to have and establish a baseline for measuring success.

Start with the MVP

Ask your developer to start with a minimum vital product or MVP, which is like a test product that has all the basic functions you’re looking for. This will give you and the developers an idea of how the software will function and if it meets your goals.

If it works the way you envisioned it, you can have your developer complete the full product, but if there are bugs or features you don’t like, the developer can address issues immediately, rather than waiting until everything is done and starting over.

Create a Wireframe

Giving the developers an outline of flow and functionality, or a wireframe, is helpful for them to understand what you’re envisioning. You could waste a lot of time and money if you have the developers start without a clear understanding of what you want and need.

There are many online resources where you can create interactive wireframes but you can also keep it simple and put together a PowerPoint presentation or even an outline in a Word document.

Conclusion

Working with a team of developers may seem daunting at first, but it is possible to find a firm that is responsive, communicative, and values your opinion. You can also make the process a smooth one by giving them a detailed starting point with your idea brief so you can co-create software that everyone is happy with.

If you have an idea for software or an application, AscentCore has a team of highly skilled developers ready to help. Visit our website to learn more and reach out to schedule a call.