Developing a mobile application is no small feat, and it takes the right kind of professionals to bring your mobile application development service vision to life. As you embark on this journey, you want to ensure that you have all the necessary information in order to make an informed decision when selecting a mobile app development service provider.

That’s where mobile app development briefs come into play, as they can provide you with a clear description of the scope, goals, and timeline for your mobile app development project. This brief should include all the necessary details that will enable your chosen mobile app developer to understand exactly what you are expecting from them.

Today, we’ve listed 8 important elements that you might want to list for your mobile app development process… before it starts.

Why do you need to send a brief for mobile app development services

#1 Specifying your requirements

Let’s assume that you are interested in mobile app development services, but you don’t fully understand how to go about it. It’s crucial that your chosen mobile app developers understand exactly what your requirements are and can then create a product that meets those expectations.

The brief allows you to clearly share your requirements with the mobile application development services provider.

#2 Clarifying the project timeline

A brief should clearly define the timeline for your mobile app development project, including when you expect the product to be completed and launched. This will help ensure that all parties are on the same page and have a mutual understanding of what needs to be done and when.

#3 Establishing milestones

Setting milestones throughout the mobile app development process is essential in order to keep track of progress and ensure that the project stays on schedule. Your brief should include milestones for each stage of the development process, including app design, coding, testing, and deployment of mobile applications.

#4 Defining the scope of work

No more guesswork here – your mobile app development brief should include a detailed scope of work that outlines all the tasks, responsibilities and deliverables for each stage of the development process. This will help to ensure that everyone working on the project knows exactly what their role is, as well as when and how they need to contribute and what success metrics are.

Elements of mobile app development process brief

Step 1: Create a project overview

No matter if it’s cross platform development, creating a native app, or building mobile apps for Google Play and smart devices – you need to have it backed up with some business analysis. You need to create a project overview that explains the purpose of the mobile app. Do you want to develop mobile applications that should deliver results quickly or long-term? Are hybrid mobile apps something you’d be looking forward to? Would you like to expand your mobile app one day with progressive web apps or other mobile solutions?

Step 2: Introduce the problem that you are looking to solve with a mobile app

Many mobile app development projects start with solving a problem. Let’s say you’re looking to increase customer engagement or customer retention. You can introduce the problem you are trying to solve in your brief, so that developers will understand the importance of their work and create a solution accordingly.

With the right approach to mobile application development, you can ensure that you get the most out of your chosen provider. Be sure to include all the necessary elements in your mobile app development brief so that all parties involved have it crystal clear of what is expected from them. This will help you make an informed decision when selecting a mobile app development service provider.

Step 3: Outline the features and functionality that you would like your app to have

For each mobile application development company, customer satisfaction and business growth are important. List the features and functionalities of your mobile app in your brief. This way, you can ensure that developers create a product that fits your needs and expectations, and they can put their extensive experience to the test.

Mobile devices are becoming increasingly popular, so having a well-designed and user-friendly mobile app is essential in today’s digital world. Create a detailed brief that outlines all of your requirements for the app. By making sure that everyone involved in the development process understands what you are looking for (in terms of operating system or cross platform app services) and when you expect it.

Step 4: Describe who your target audience is for the app (User Personas)

If you want your mobile apps to be fully functional, you need to know who you build them for. And while operating systems or technology expertise are essential, they won’t replace knowing your target audience. This requires you to provide detailed descriptions of who will use your mobile app and what they will do with it, in order to create the best user experience possible.

You have to know as much as possible about your users – age group, gender, interests, in-app behavior and more – in order to create apps that meet those expectations.

Step 5: Prioritize features and build a roadmap

For both native apps and cross platform apps, you need to prioritize the features that are most burning for your app. This will help developers to understand what elements of the product should be done first and how they should go about building it. A roadmap can also help to plan out future updates and improvements, as well as make sure nothing is left behind.

For iOS platform, outlining the App Store Guidelines is also recommended. This step should include information about app store optimization, user interface design and more, that will help the development team to create a product that meets Apple’s guidelines. Similar for Android apps, the Google Play Store Guidelines should be considered.

Step 6: Add info on competitors/industry

Have your competitors ever developed some cross platform applications that are similar to yours or have they already released a product that is doing something similar?

You need to include this information in your mobile app development brief, so mobile app developers can use it as reference and come up with solutions that differentiate you from the competition.

Often, the main challenge with mobile app development services isn’t the technical bit of creating the product, but rather understanding the industry and competitors. That’s why it is essential to provide detailed information on your competitors in order to make sure your mobile app stands out from the crowd.

Step 7: Define your timeline

Developing apps can take anywhere from a few weeks to several months, so set a timeline for your project. Make sure you are realistic when setting this deadline and that the mobile app developers can meet them. If you don’t feel comfortable providing a timeframe, then make sure that your expectations for delivery are clearly communicated in the mobile app development brief.

Depending on whether you want to have a set of native apps, use multiple platforms, juggle with programming languages, or explore cross platform app development, the development time will vary. Providing a timeline in the brief sets up expectations from both parties and makes sure that the project is completed on time.

Step 8: Estimate your budget

This is when and where you need to get your management team on board with your vision matching reality. Consider the scope of your project and make sure the budget fits it, as well as take into account market rates for mobile app development services.

For both web and mobile app development, it’s wise to consider programming languages that are going to be used straight away. With mobile application development services, you need to decide which platforms you want to target and the cost associated with each – and such a method will help you set a more realistic budget for your mobile project.

Step 9: List any other requirements that you may have for the development of your app

Technology stack is a go-to for mobile development services, but in business, often there is much more to it. Make sure you include any other requirements in the mobile app development brief, such as working with third party integrations or databases, security protocols, enterprise resource planning (ERP) software and similar.

You may also want to add information on how you would like to track usage of your mobile application. For example, you may want to use third party tools like Google Analytics and Flurry for insight into user behavior. This can help you get a better understanding of how people are using your app, as well as identify which areas need improvement.

Step 10: Leave space for miscellaneous elements in mobile application development service

You might as well get into web app development in the future – so leave some open doors for any future additions or changes. This will help to make sure that the mobile app you build is not only functional and secure but also agile enough to adapt with the changing trends in mobile technologies.

This also gives some space for clarifying app types. If it’s an Android app, does it also need to be compatible with iOS? It’s also a great idea to prepare for possible updates, such as adding bug fixes or new features. This will help the developers anticipate any issues that may arise in building the app and ensure that its development meets your expectations in terms of quality and usability.

Design your mobile apps with INVO: rediscover mobile technology

Are you looking for mobile app developers who understand business?

Do you want to develop hybrid apps?

Are you interested in cross platform solutions?

Do you need professional iOS app development services?

Would you like to partner up with native app developers?

Or, in general, would you like to have someone guide you through mobile app development process without any hiccups?

Here at INVO, we can offer you a dedicated team of experienced mobile app developers that can help you create great applications for iOS and Android. We know what cross platform app development is, what it takes to build apps for each mobile device, and are an established app development company that created dozens of apps for both iOS and Android devices.

Get in touch with us today and let’s start working on the best solution for your business.