What should a software brief include?
A good brief explains what problem you want to solve and how you will know it is solved. You do not need to know about technology: technical questions are our job. The more concrete your everyday examples, the more accurate the quote you will get.
Software project brief
- The company. What do you do, how many people are you and where do you operate?
- The problem. What is happening today that you want to change? Describe a concrete example from last week.
- How it is done today. What steps does the process follow and which tools do you use (spreadsheets, WhatsApp, a system, paper)?
- Who will use it. Which people or teams, and also outside clients or suppliers?
- Must-haves. The three or four things without which it is useless.
- Nice-to-haves. What adds value but can wait for a second stage.
- What it must connect to. Systems, invoicing, payments, WhatsApp, spreadsheets or other tools.
- What happens if nothing changes. Lost hours, errors, missed sales, unhappy customers.
- How you will measure success. A number you would like to change: time, errors, sales, response rate.
- Timeline and budget. Is there a date that matters? Do you have an investment range in mind, even a rough one?
Which mistakes should you avoid when requesting a quote?
- Describing the solution instead of the problem. "I want an app" says little; "we lose orders because they come in through three channels" says a lot.
- Wanting everything in version one. Separating must-haves from nice-to-haves lowers cost and time.
- Comparing quotes that do not include the same things. Ask what each one covers: design, testing, deployment, support.
- Forgetting who will use it. A system your team does not adopt is money wasted, no matter how good it is.
What happens after you send the brief?
If you send it to us, we read it before the first conversation (30 minutes, free) so we can go straight to what matters. Then we put together an initial proposal with a demo or prototype, so you can see the solution before we start. And if we see that an existing tool already solves your problem, we tell you.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to answer every question?
No. The problem, how it is done today and who will use it are enough for a good first conversation. We complete the rest together.
Do I need technical knowledge to fill it in?
No. The template is meant for the person who knows the business. Technical decisions (languages, servers, architecture) are the vendor's job.
Can I use this template with other vendors?
Yes, it is free to use. Sending the same brief to several vendors lets you compare proposals on the same basis.
Done filling it in?
Send us your brief or book a free 30-minute conversation and we will go over it together, in English or Spanish.