The process of identifying the project scope and budget and Pre-Implementation Analysis.
Brief: How to prepare for pre-implementation analysis
Before you begin working with a software house to create an online store, migrate it, or build a B2B system, you must define your requirements. This is accomplished by providing a brief to the contractor. This brief will serve as the basis for pre-implementation analysis, during which the final shape of the project will be determined.
What should a good brief consist of?
1. Company description
At the beginning of the brief, include basic information about your company so the contractor has a general understanding of your business. Answer the following questions:
- What is your business model? What is your company's most important source of revenue? Describe your core products and services.
- What is the character of your brand and its most important values?
- What are your long-term business goals?
2. What is your target group?
Briefly define your personas. A persona is a designed persona of the recipient of your products or services. Each persona is described by characteristics such as age, location, professional status, interests, aspirations, business goals, and lifestyle information. Personas allow you to imagine your customers as real people, making it easier to empathize with their needs and design your product accordingly.
3. What are the goals of the project?
Describe why you applied to join the software house. Perhaps you'd like to:
– Design a new online store
What motivates you to do this? Is your current sales model insufficient, or do you want to gain an additional channel to reach customers?
– Migrate your store
Why aren't you satisfied with your current online store? Perhaps you need to expand your business because your customer base has grown, but your current solution isn't scalable enough, or your current store's functionality is insufficient, or your website is difficult to navigate? Provide a link to your store so the developer can analyze your current solutions.
– Create a dedicated B2B system
Briefly describe what function the system should fulfill and why you decided to build it.
Also, point out any competitive solutions that interest you (e.g., provide the names of B2B systems). If you find any of the competing products' features particularly appealing, highlight them. You can also highlight the shortcomings of other companies' solutions—creating a product that addresses these shortcomings gives you a chance to outperform your competitors.
Don't miss out on more valuable content about the digitalization of B2B trade!
4. Detailed information about the project
Go through the most important elements of the project specification. The more detailed it is, the easier it will be to work with the software house. At the same time, remember that all details will be specified during the pre-implementation analysis . You don't need to present very detailed requirements, as the contractor, as an expert in their field, can propose optimal solutions. Create a list of the functionalities that are most important to you. Describe as precisely as possible how they should work and why they should be implemented. Equally important is an outline of the information architecture, i.e., the structure of the content to be placed on the website or in the system.
A convenient way to present functionality and basic information architecture is to create a simple mockup and attach it to the brief. Use programs like Balsamiq, Mockups, or MockPlus. They're easy to use and operate via drag-and-drop.
In the mockup, you'll schematically outline which subpages/screens should be included in the project and which functionalities are important to you. Include a description of the sketched functionalities for each project screen. If you're unable to do this, don't worry. We can create a mockup as one of our pre-implementation analysis deliverables.
Of course, the software house's task will be to create accurate UX and UI (user experience and interface) mockups, so you don't have to try to create an advanced design. You'll be involved in the process of building these mockups, testing them, and fine-tuning the future product plan.
Remember, too, that system users will also be its administrators. List the features a CMS should meet and how it should be configured to facilitate their work.
It is also important what kind Integrations You are interested in. An online store might enable, for example, online payments, courier services, accounting systems, or sales management on Allegro. Also include a simplified diagram of the systems operating in the company and the connections between them. If you can identify them, describe the technology you are interested in. If you have knowledge of the types of B2B systems or e-commerce Propose a project implementation using selected solutions. During the pre-implementation analysis, the software house will provide you with its own opinion based on its experience and knowledge regarding the optimal solution for the project. This way, you can jointly decide on the best solution for the project.
5. Project budget
The solution you choose and the feasibility of implementing specific functionalities depend on the budget you want to allocate to the project. The software house will recommend technology that fits your budget and tailor the scope of work accordingly.
The contractor can also present you with various project implementation options, allowing you to decide whether to adjust your budget. You'll learn the approximate cost of implementing your chosen solutions. It's also worth setting a rough budget, as you likely won't be aware of the exact costs of the development work.
Project costs can also be divided into stages. A common approach is to first launch an MVP (Minimum Viable Product). This is a version of the product that already includes the most important functionalities for users, but not all planned implementations are yet included.
An MVP provides an opportunity to launch the product and begin sales earlier. It also serves as a platform for testing the solutions created and gathering user feedback. During the pre-implementation analysis, a software house will help you determine what features an MVP should have to be ready for market release.
6. Schedule
Determine how long you'd like the project to take to complete. If your priority is to launch the product quickly, an MVP might be the solution. It will allow you to start earning money while the full version of the product is still in development.
The software house will provide its own timeline calculations, as you may not be aware of the development timeframe. However, if necessary, the software house will adjust the solution to fit the schedule.
The prepared Pre-Implementation Analysis is the property of the Client and can be used to perform market research and collect offers.
Brief matters
The more time and attention you devote to creating a brief, the easier it will be to work with the software house to develop the final plan for your project. The brief should be as detailed as possible and include a complete list of your requirements.
Be sure to involve your entire company team in creating the brief. Gather input from your marketing and sales departments or invite their representatives to work on the document. If you already have an online store and are planning a migration, find out what the needs of the administrators of your current solution are—what they're missing, what features would make their work easier.
Of course, your brief is only the foundation for further work on shaping the project. The software house will conduct workshops with you to create a detailed pre-implementation analysis. This will include a complete list of project functionalities, the type of technology to be used, and the final budget and work schedule.
Software development projects are most often conducted using the agile methodology. It's based on dividing work into iterations. After each iteration, you'll be able to see the results and provide feedback.
Therefore, don't be afraid that your brief has to be the final determinant of the project's shape. You'll be able to flexibly adapt it to your needs and changing market demands (with, of course, adjustments to the budget and schedule if necessary).
We've been using and refining the presented process for eight years. It has been implemented in a number of companies of varying scale. It has resulted in long-term collaborations and completed projects that have allowed our clients to grow, increase profitability and revenue, and significantly optimize business processes.
