Finding a consulting and technology company that fully understands and meets your business needs isn’t always straightforward. To start a project and work together effectively, you’ll need clearly defined goals and a complete vision of your product.

Here you’ll find insider insight into the key questions a good consulting and technology partner will ask before getting started. Gather this information in a well-prepared brief, and you’ll save both time and money. We can assure you – this approach works!

Not sure what to include in your brief? Let’s begin with four key elements you can share to make it clear how your solution should function.

1. The Idea: a general overview of the product, including your goals, target users, and main features. To get to that point in the first place, a product discovery workshop can be arranged to figure out what ideas are the most promising, all thanks to productive discussions and exercises.
2. The Basic Specification: a high-level outline including the defined goal, user personas, desired launch date, project status, and budget. To figure that out, you can rely on your past experience with similar products or do a brainstorming session with ChatPRD.
3. The Detailed Specification: everything needed for immediate development, such as product goals, all user stories, designs, external integrations, API documentation, and a features list. Creating a reliable specification often requires developer involvement and is usually refined during the development phase.
4. Prototype: interactive representations of an application in action, which can be done using such AI tools like Lovable or Bolt. Clear and accessible for both business stakeholders and developers, prototypes are one of the best ways to validate assumptions, showcase functionality, and speed up cost estimation.

Let’s dive deeper into each part of the perfect brief.

1. What is the project's goal?

Start your brief by clearly defining the goals of your software application. This will help the product development team better understand your vision and deliver exactly what you need. Be as specific as possible. Instead of writing “I need a mobile app for customer support,” try: “I need an application that lets customers check their account status, change subscription preferences, and recharge their account on both desktop and mobile.”

Next, describe your main target audience – the so-called user personas. An ideal customer profile should include demographic data, personal interests, goals, and challenges. Defining 1-3 personas will help you identify your audience’s needs and ensure your app reaches the right users.

Once you know your potential customers, outline how your application will solve their problems. Returning to the example above: a 30-year-old corporate employee with a family likely doesn’t have time to visit a mobile carrier’s store to change their plan. Being able to do it from a smartphone – quickly, easily, and from home – is far more convenient.

2. Define the scope of your project

Now that you’ve set the overall goals, it’s time to get specific. Defining the scope of your project means determining exactly what you need and translating that into a clear specification.

One of the fastest ways to do this is by creating a product prototype with AI – an interactive presentation of key user flows and functionalities within your application. To make it useful, include short notes that explain how each element works. Prototypes let you test information architecture, navigation, and features early on, long before development begins. A well-prepared prototype also helps estimate costs more accurately and speeds up the start of the project.

When writing your scope, don’t forget to specify the types of products you need. Will your system include mobile apps? If so, should they run on iOS, Android, or both? Do you need a CMS to manage content? Should your product integrate with external services like payment modules or APIs? The clearer you are, the smoother the development process will be.

And if you’re unsure where to start, we can help. Share your goals and competitor benchmarks with us, and we’ll guide you through the specification process – from AI-assisted prototypes and API documentation to functional requirements and even the first sprint backlog.

3. Estimate project time

Time is one of the key factors in planning any digital product. It determines priorities, available resources, and how your project will be managed. To make a realistic estimate, start by answering two essential questions:

• Do you have a fixed release date that cannot be moved?
• When can the actual work begin?

Clear answers here help align the project scope with available capacity and prevent costly delays later on.

4. Describe the current state of the project

Next, outline where your project currently stands. Describe the existing system components and the technologies already in use. This helps you quickly identify which partners have the right expertise to take over.

If you’re working with an existing version of the product, be clear about its limitations – both for users and system administrators. Specify the challenges you’re facing and the development strategy you’d like to follow. The more context you provide, the easier it will be for your partner to recommend the right technologies and ensure your product is reliable, scalable, and future-proof.

5. Introduce the project team

Clearly defining the project team is crucial for smooth collaboration. Start by naming the Product Owner (PO) – the person ultimately responsible for the product’s success. The PO sets the vision, defines business objectives, manages requirements, and ensures all stakeholders are aligned with the development team.

Next, clarify whether you already have a project manager and developers on board. This helps your partner understand if they’ll be supplementing your in-house team or providing a project manager to handle communication, planning, risk tracking, and day-to-day coordination.

Finally, let them know if there are any subcontractors involved. Transparency here avoids misunderstandings and ensures effective collaboration from the start.

6. Define the budget

Being upfront about your budget helps your partner design a solution that truly fits your needs. Even if it’s just a range or rough estimate, sharing your assumptions early on allows them to recommend the right scope, priorities, and approach.

If the full specification goes beyond your budget, they can suggest phasing the project – focusing first on the most important features to meet product goals, with additional functionality added later.

Once you’ve clarified your goals, scope, timeline, team, and budget, you’re ready to choose the right partner.