Business
What to prepare before you talk to a developer
A first call goes further when you bring a few things with you. None of them need to be perfect, and all of them save time.
2 min read
You do not need a technical plan to start a software project. A few plain answers, written down before the first call, make that call far more useful for both sides.
The problem in one paragraph
Describe what is not working today and who it affects. For example: enquiries come in through three channels and some are never answered. This is more useful than a list of features, because it lets the developer suggest the simplest thing that fixes it.
Who will use it
Customers, staff, or both? On a phone or a computer? How many people, roughly? These answers shape the design more than anything else.
Examples you like
Two or three websites or apps you like, and one you dislike, each with a line on why. This saves hours of guessing about style and features.
A budget range and a date
A rough range, even a wide one, lets the developer suggest what fits. A date matters too, especially when it is tied to a season, a launch or an event.
What already exists
Your current website, the tools your team uses, any logins, and the content you already have. Knowing what can be reused keeps the cost down.
Who decides
Name the person who will approve designs and answer questions during the project. Projects slow down most when nobody is sure who has the final say.
If you would like a starting point, our project brief asks these questions in four short steps.
Where we help with this