How to Describe Your App Idea to a Development Team
Coming up with the perfect app idea can be difficult, but unfortunately it’s just half of the struggle. In order to go from concept to tangible creation you’ll have to put it in the hands of a development team, explaining how you want your idea to come to life.
The initial description when you hand your idea to your dev team is key. Failing to communicate what you want will slow down the development process and increase the time and money it takes for you to release your app.
Start with User Stories
User stories are one of the best and simplest ways to describe your app idea to developers.
Often running in the format of “As a <type of user>, I want <some goal> so that <some reason>”, user stories can help developers figure out what your app should include, even when you don’t have a specific feature in mind.
For example, “As an admin, I want to see the number of daily subscribers to my app on a bar graph, so that I can easily compare numbers” can lead to a feature with easy to understand graphs and charts.
Or, “As an unregistered user, I want to be able to sign in with Facebook, so that I can register without writing my e-mail address and name” can lead to more new users because the sign-up process has been simplified.
What Is Your Key Demographic?
But, user stories can’t be effective unless you know who your users are.
Knowing about your demographic — age, gender, race and even finances and interests — can influence the final version of your app. If you tell your development team that your app idea needs to be turned into something targeted at parents, then features that offer coupons or meal planning can be prioritized.
Demographics can even influence the layout and design of your app. For example, if your key demo is older with less technology experience you might want to make your app simple and keep your font large.
User Flow Diagrams and Wireframes
When you have an app idea, people often feel that a lack of technical knowledge can hold them back. But it doesn’t have to.
If you want your users to purchase something in your app or do a specific task, the user flow chart can show you how easy it is for them to do it.
Passing this along to the dev team allows them to make things flow better for your users, removing unnecessary steps or adding in new steps to improve the process.
Wireframes are also an important part of the puzzle. Essentially a blueprint of the app, wireframes usually denote the layout or content.
You can try Balsamiq and make your wireframes for free (30-days trial).
Communication is Key
An underestimated part of development, we know that finding out what you want from your app is the best way to make it a success. At EL Passion we have daily standups with our customers to keep you updated on your app’s development process.
That way, if you have a new idea, just speak up! You organize the priority of developing features.
Your app idea is a precious gem. If you have thoughts on how to showcase its potential, updating your development team on what you want is a must.
