How to write a software brief that gets you accurate quotes

The quickest way to get a useful quote for software is a short, clear brief. It doesn't need to be technical. It needs to explain the problem, not prescribe the solution.

What to put in it

• The problem. What takes too long, breaks or costs money today? One paragraph, in plain words.
• Who uses it. Staff, customers or partners? How many, and on which devices?
• The must-haves. The three to five things the first version must do. Everything else goes on a later list.
• What it connects to. Accounting, payments, CRM, spreadsheets, machines, or an old system that has to keep running.
• Your data. What you have today and where it lives.
• How you'll know it worked. Hours saved, fewer errors, faster orders: whatever success means for you.
• Constraints. Timing, a budget range, rules you must follow and tools you must keep.

A template you can copy

• The problem we want to solve:
• Who will use it, and on which devices:
• The first version must:
• It must connect to:
• Our data lives in:
• We'll call it a success if:
• Timing, budget range and rules:

What to leave out

Skip screen designs and technology choices unless you have a strong reason. A good team will propose them, and a brief that describes the problem invites better ideas than one that fixes the answer too early.

What happens next

A good software partner reads your brief, asks questions, and comes back with a plan for a first version, an honest view of the risks and a clear quote. If someone quotes without asking anything, be careful.

Send your brief through our contact page or to info@hitroo.com. We reply within a day. See also custom software and mobile apps.

Questions

Do I need technical knowledge to write a brief?

No. Describe the problem, the people and the outcome in your own words. The technical plan is the software team's job.

How long should a brief be?

One or two pages is plenty for a first quote. The details come out in the first conversation.

Should I include a budget?

A range helps. It lets the team propose the best first version for what you want to spend, instead of guessing.