How to explain a business idea to the development team

To turn a concept into a real thing, you must appoint a development team to take on the project and articulate how you want your idea to be realized.

So you likely have a clear vision of the software you want to develop. However, communicating this vision to your development team can be tricky.

You must explain your business idea coherently and comprehensively to avoid misunderstandings and mistakes down the project development line. Miscommunication may lead to wasted time, resources, and money, damaging your project's success.

There are some important things that you should include while filling out a form on the team's website or composing an email to guarantee that your message gets across.

First and foremost, your message should include your name and company role. Give the development team a clear picture of who they will work with and where you are on the project.

Explicitly state the objectives you want to achieve with your product. You will bring specific knowledge of what you want to achieve and allow them to match their efforts with your aims.

The project time and budget limits. Help the development team understand the scope and limitations of your project so they can estimate the time and resources needed to turn your vision into reality.

Be as intelligible as possible. It may involve providing additional information beyond the basics, such as market research data, use cases, and user personas. The more details you provide, the better the development team will be equipped to understand and implement your idea.

When presenting your software concept to the development team, outline the important aspects that emphasize the problem you are trying to solve, the target audience you hope to reach, and the key features you want to include in your product:

• Briefly describe the problem you are trying to solve: Write a clear and succinct statement describing the problem your product is trying to solve. It should describe the situation that your software is attempting to solve straightforwardly. For example, if your program is aimed at helping individuals manage their money, you could say that "many people have trouble keeping track of their income, expenses, and investments, leading to financial distress and uncertainty."

• Target audience: Identify the target audience you want to reach with your software. You may add demographic information like age, gender, location, hobbies, and requirements. For example, your program is intended for people who wish to manage their money. In this case, you could indicate that your target audience is "adults in Poland who have a steady income and want to improve their financial situation."

• Main features of your software: Outline the key features you intend to include in your app. A comprehensive list that includes all of the key functionalities that your software will offer. For example, if your software is designed to help people manage their finances, your main features include budget tracking, investment management, and bill payment reminders.

• Use cases: Provide detailed examples of how your target audience will use your software. It would help if you described how people would use your software in real-world scenarios. For instance, if your software is designed to help people manage their finances, your use cases include creating budgets, tracking expenses, and reviewing investment performance.

• Possible obstacles: Identify potential hindrances that could impact the development of your software. You could include technical challenges, market competition, or regulatory barriers. For example, you might encounter technical challenges or legal hurdles that must be addressed.

• Product functionality and requirements: Outline the specific functionality you need your software to provide. It should describe the technical requirements for your software, such as the programming language and framework you plan to use, as well as any data storage or security requirements.

• Key features (prioritize most essential elements): Prioritize the vital components of your software. The key features help the development team understand which features are most important and should be focused on first.

• Specify whether you want an MVP or a complete application: Determine if you wish to develop a minimum viable product (MVP) or a full application. An MVP is a simpler version of your software that includes only the most essential features, while a complete application consists of all the planned parts.

• Define software requirements: You must define the technical requirements for your software, such as the hardware and software and any third-party libraries or services that will be used. It could include programming languages, frameworks, or other requirements.

• Specify your budget and timeline: Provide clear information on your budget and timeline. Your budget should consider any costs associated with development, testing, and deployment, while your timeline should outline the critical milestones for your project. The development team will understand the resources they have available to work with and ensure that your project stays on track.

An excellent way to approach answering many of these questions is to think about your software using the Jobs-to-be-Done (JTBD) theory. You will be able to identify the primary issues that your users are attempting to address and how your product can assist.

Setting clear expectations on how you envision the development process is a must-have. With everyone on the same page, the project's workflow will go as smoothly as possible. Here are some key areas where you should set expectations:

• Timelines and deliverables: Discuss the timelines and deliverables you expect from the development team. Cover any milestones, release dates, and the overall timeline for the project. Be realistic about what is achievable and communicate any changes that may arise. Create a clear timeline to ensure the project stays on track and all stakeholders understand what is expected of them.

• Priorities and approaches for project management: Determine the project's preferences and the project management strategies employed. Consider how the development team will manage the project, communicate with you, and handle any emerging difficulties. Setting clear priorities and project management techniques will help keep everyone focused and aligned toward the same goals.

• Feedback loops and schedule updates: Establish feedback loops and schedules to ensure you are regularly updated on the project's progress. How often will you receive updates? What information will the updates contain, and how can you contribute input to the development team? Open communication and regular updates will ensure everyone knows the project's advancement and can make any necessary adjustments.

• Risks and mitigation methods: Describe possible risks and mitigation techniques to ensure everyone understands the risks and how to mitigate them. Consider identifying potential technical limitations, market competition, or other factors impacting the project's success. Doing so, the project stays on track, and any potential issues are addressed before they become significant problems.

After setting clear expectations with your development team, the next step is to create a detailed project brief. This document should thoroughly describe your project and act as a reference for the development team as the project progresses.

The brief should touch on the project's scope, goals, key features, and functionalities of the future software. It should also include technical specifications, requirements, design considerations, and branding guidelines.

By providing this information in advance, you can ensure the development team understands what you want to do and how you want to get there.

Visual aids such as wireframes and mockups can be beneficial in communicating your vision to the development team. These tools can help you express your software's user interface, functionality, and flow. By providing these visual aids, you can ensure that your vision is fully understood.

If existing software programs are comparable to your concept, describe how they function and what you like and dislike about them. Providing examples can help the development team understand your vision and give valuable insights into how to improve upon existing solutions.

Several tools are available to help you create your project brief and visual aids.

• Google Sheets and Notion are great options for creating and organizing project documentation. 

• Balsamiq Mockups and Figma are excellent tools for creating wireframes and mockups. 

• Miro is a great tool for creating mood boards and diagrams.

It's important to take the time to explore your idea further. It is where the research and discovery phase comes in. This step involves working closely with the development team to refine your concept before development begins.

One of the most effective ways to approach the research and discovery phase is through brainstorming sessions. These sessions allow you to generate new ideas, discuss potential solutions, and identify pressing challenges.

User research is another strong component of the research and discovery phase. User research can be done through surveys, interviews, or focus groups, and you can better understand their needs and preferences.

Prototyping is also a critical component of the research and discovery phase. It refers to creating a basic version of your software to test its functionality and usability. Prototyping can help you identify potential problems early on and make the necessary changes before development begins.

Overall, by working collaboratively with the development team to brainstorm new ideas, conduct user research, and create prototypes, you can improve your vision and make sure it benefits your target audience.

The development team may have a different perspective or experience that can provide valuable feedback and insights. They may also have technical expertise to help you overcome potential challenges or limitations. 

By being open to feedback, you can tap into your development team's expertise, and being willing to work together can lead to better results and faster processes.

It's critical to accept feedback with an open mind and see it as a chance for development and progress. It means actively listening to the development team's suggestions and considering them seriously.

Even if you disagree with their suggestions, being polite and receptive to their point of view may open new doors for you.

Remember to summarize the problem you're trying to solve, the target audience you want to reach, and the key features you want to include in your product.

Use visual aids such as wireframes and mockups to help the development team understand your vision, and consider a research and discovery phase to refine your idea further.

Collaboration and communication are critical components of every software development project's success. Be open to feedback from the development team, as they may have valuable insights to help improve your idea.

There is no room for misunderstanding if you want to bridge the gap between project expectations and reality. There's more to it than just creating a common language to assist you in describing your company idea to the development team.

Leave this to the professionals; we will ask the right questions, provide valuable insights into the development process, and acquire all the information needed to appraise the project.