Details You Should Know Before Contacting A Software Developer

Most of us know that developing software is no easy feat. The process of software development can be long and tedious. In order to avoid pitfalls and hasten the development process, we have listed down some details you should know before contacting a software developer.

1. Your Business Pitch / Business Model Canvass

Before you contact a software developer, it is important to have either a Business Pitch or a Business Model Canvass. This helps the developer understand the parameters of your business to determine if they will be able to handle your business proposition. This is also how you can gauge whether the software developer might be a good fit for your project. On top of what you have given, a good developer will always add value and give suggestions to make a software product better.

Now, what should go into a Business Pitch?

• Problem Statement
• Your Business’s Background Information
• Market Analysis — Size of current competitors and how they are doing it now
• Proposed Solution — A detailed description of your product or service and its value should be given. necessary use cases will be a plus
• Projection of the entire project in terms of the next 3 months, next 6 months and next 1–3 years
• Last but not least, cost estimation is necessary so that they are no unfair expectations

2. Who is your target audience?

By now, you should know that there is no one size fits all application that is meant for everyone. In fact, you will not be able to please everyone — different groups of people have different needs and interests, and they may be in different stages of their technology maturity. You should invest time and effort in understanding the needs and wants of your end-users so that you can provide them with a solution that is appropriate and relevant to their needs. Some developers also provide UX and User Research parts which include

• Age group of target audience
• The language they speak
• The habits they have
• User’s pain points

3. Knowing your business model

It is also paramount that you know and understand your business model. How is this business model going to help you generate profits? Will you be implementing individual transactions or a subscription-based plan? Who will be responsible for managing the software and communication with customers? These are all important information that you should have before contacting any software developer because developers are not only great at what they do, but they also have a lot of knowledge about their field which may prove to be beneficial in the long run. It is vital for planning payment gateways, payment cycles, and different tiers of payments if this needs to be part of the system you are building.

4. Difference between MVP and Vision

While it is important to know the key features you want at the start, it is difficult to determine everything you need now. Other factors that come into play could be the tight timeline the developers have to build your application, and therefore, only having the most basic functions at the start. However, there is no need to worry! Different features could be implemented at different stages of your project.

Let’s take Instagram for example. We have all seen how Instagram has evolved over the years! Everyone knows that Instagram started off as just a simple photo-sharing app. However, after Facebook bought it over in 2012, Instagram has grown beyond simple image sharing in its quest to become a one-stop shop for all social media users. This is evident from the launch of Instagram Stories in 2016, followed by the launch of IGTV in 2018. Did the Instagram team manage these changes overnight? Of course not. These functions were implemented along the way.

Thus, you need to keep maintaining and upgrading your application. With so many applications available in the market, the only way to retain a user is to create the best User Experience (UX) there can be as compared to similar applications.

With your application up and running, you don’t have to aim for the stars at the very start! Improving your application could be as simple as including interactive transitions, multiple languages to cater to different users globally, or even making your application available in both the iOS and Android markets.

Just remember, a wise man once said, “small daily improvements daily lead to stunning results.”

5. Must-Haves VS Good to Have Features

Before you contact a software developer, you must differentiate between your must-haves and good-to-have features. This is because every project is unique and different. A good software developer will know how to handle the features for your project, as well as understand your needs.

Must-Haves: These are features that you need for your application to work effectively. If the must-have criterias are not met, the application will not function properly and cannot be used.

Good to Haves: These are features you would like to have but can live without. It’s best to prioritize them accordingly so that developers know what level of effort should be put into developing them before deciding whether or not it’s worth it.

6. What are some of the challenges that need to be solved?

Before you contact a software developer, it is important that you already know some of the challenges and issues on hand of your current application (if you already have one) or from current competitions that need to be solved. By knowing these details, your developers can come up with solutions for you without wasting any time.

7. Who are your competitors and what are your differentiating points?

Before you look for a software developer, you should have already done your homework. Who are your competitors? What makes you different from them? Why would customers choose you over them? If you can differentiate yourself from your competitors, you will be able to make a more effective pitch to the developer. Good marketing material makes it easier for developers and designers to get what you want and put it into action. Looking at the competition is a great way of creating that marketing material.

8. Marketing & Sales Plan

It would help if you always spent time planning marketing and sales tools you want to use when the software product is ready. Some marketing and sales tools need integration from your developers. Many founders ignore this part completely while doing product development. Before you find a developer, you should plan out sales and marketing strategies as if the product is ready.

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