Software projects that run late or over budget rarely fail in the code. They fail earlier: in a vague brief, an assumption nobody said out loud, a decision nobody owned.
These are the twelve things we ask every client to settle before we start building. Answer them on one page and you’ll get sharper estimates, a faster build and fewer surprises, whoever you hire.
1. The problem, in one sentence
Write down what’s broken today and who it hurts. “Our dispatch team spends three hours a day on phone calls finding out where the trucks are” is a problem. “We need an app” isn’t. If you can’t write the sentence yet, you’re not ready for a quote. You’re ready for a discovery conversation.
2. What “done” looks like
Pick one or two numbers that will tell you the software worked: hours saved each week, orders handled per day, fewer missed appointments, fewer billing errors. Agree on them before the build, not after launch.
3. Who will use it, and what each person can do
List every type of user (customers, staff, managers, admins, drivers, parents) and what each one can see and change. Roles and permissions drive a lot of the work, and they’re the most common thing missing from a brief.
4. Must-haves for version one, and everything else
Split your feature list in two: “we can’t launch without it” and “later”. Version one should be the smallest thing that solves the problem in point 1. Everything else goes on a list for version two, once real users have shown you what they need.
5. A budget range, and how you’ll pay
Even a rough range lets a good partner design to your budget instead of guessing. Then pick the way of working that fits how settled your scope is:
- Fixed scope, fixed price when the requirements are clear.
- Time and materials when you expect the scope to change as you learn.
- A dedicated team when you need ongoing capacity.
6. The real deadline, and why it’s real
“As soon as possible” isn’t a date. A trade show, a financial year-end, a contract renewal or the start of a school session is. Knowing which kind of deadline you have decides what gets cut if time runs short.
7. Your data: what exists, where it lives, who owns it
Spreadsheets, an old system, paper registers? How much of it has to move into the new software, and how clean is it? Moving data is routinely underestimated. Start cleaning it now, not in the last week before launch.
8. The systems it has to talk to
Payment gateways, SMS and WhatsApp, email, accounting software, your ERP, maps, government portals. List each one and check whether it offers an API your new software can connect to. One closed system can change the whole plan.
9. The rules you have to follow
If you handle personal data of people in India, the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 applies. Customers in the European Union bring in the GDPR, and US healthcare work can bring in HIPAA. Your industry may add its own rules on top. Name them at the start, because they shape where data is stored, who can see it and what gets logged.
10. Who owns what
Settle this in writing before work starts:
- An NDA before you share the details of your business.
- Ownership of the source code, designs and data.
- Accounts in your company’s name: domain, cloud hosting, app store listings, code repository and third-party services. If a vendor holds these, you don’t fully own your product.
11. What it will cost to run
Hosting, paid APIs, SMS and WhatsApp messages, app store fees and, for AI features, the model’s per-token charges. Ask for an estimate of monthly running costs at your expected usage, not just the cost to build. For a feel of AI costs, see our worked examples for Gemini and Claude.
12. What happens after launch
Who fixes bugs, how fast, and for how long? How are updates and new features priced? Software needs looking after: operating systems update, libraries age and your business changes. Agree on support before you sign, not when something breaks.
Questions to ask a development partner
A few questions that tell you more than a portfolio:
- Can I talk to the people who will actually build it?
- How often will I see working software?
- What happens when requirements change halfway through?
- Have you built something similar, and can I speak to that client?
- Who owns the code, and when does ownership pass to us?
A one-page brief you can copy
- Problem (one sentence):
- How we’ll measure success:
- Users and what each can do:
- Must-haves for version one:
- Later:
- Budget range and preferred way of working:
- Deadline, and why:
- Data to move:
- Systems to connect:
- Rules to follow:
- Accounts and ownership:
- Expected usage (users, transactions, messages per month):
- Support needed after launch:
Fill it in, even roughly, and send it to two or three companies. The questions they ask back will tell you a lot about who to hire.
FAQ
How long should planning take before development starts?
It depends on the size. For a small app, a call and a few rounds of questions can be enough. For a business system with many roles and integrations, a short, paid discovery phase that ends in a written scope usually saves more than it costs.
Fixed price or time and materials?
Fixed price works when the scope is clear and stable. Time and materials suits projects where you expect to learn and change course. Many projects use a fixed price for version one and time and materials afterwards.
Should we build an MVP first?
Usually, yes. A smaller first version reaches real users sooner, and what they do with it is better evidence than any meeting. Keep it small, but make sure it still solves the problem in point 1.
What should a software development contract cover?
Scope, milestones and payment terms, how work is accepted, ownership of code and IP, confidentiality, support and warranty after launch, and what happens if either side wants to stop. Have your lawyer review it.
How we work
Our process starts with a free 30-minute discovery call. Then you get a written scope with modules, milestones and cost. We build in sprints with a working demo every 3 weeks, and every project includes 3 months of full support after go-live. We sign an NDA before you share any details, and the code is yours, written into the contract. Book your discovery call.