The steps to edit your specifications

If you are in charge of a project to create or develop a website or a mobile application, but you do not know where to start to set up your project. Where do you start the first step of your project by writing a specification?

Why a specification? it is a document that makes it possible to understand and define the scope of a project as a whole, with all the constraints, needs, objectives or even the stakeholders linked to it.

Preparing specifications will help you to clearly express your need and your objective as well as better understand your expectations. This phase also allows you to be able to start your project more efficiently and to monitor the progress of the project according to a pre-established schedule.

Writing specifications has become an essential phase for your project. Here below, we are going to offer you a way to create a specification with 9 steps.

1. Present the company and the project

The very first step, start by introducing yourself to your company, your activities and your services, at the same time generalizing your idea of the project. This step allows the interlocutors to better understand who you are and what you want for your project.

This part should be succinct and concise by presenting only the necessary and relevant information. At the same time, do not forget to detail the objectives, in particular the motivations that encourage you to carry out this project. Do not hesitate to detail your economic model so that you can receive advice on the real interest or not of the requested functionalities.

It is important that you prepare well for this step by demonstrating the value of your business and detailing the strategy information for your site or application development project. This step will help your service providers or other stakeholders to better understand your business, understand your market and be able to give you the necessary advice.

2. Define the project objective and targets

This is an important step in the specifications. It is impossible to succeed in creating or developing a site or an application without specifying the objective and the target audience. This step will help you identify the orientation of your specifications

Define the objectives, it could be:

• increase awareness of your business
• launch a new product or service
• attract new customers or new partners
• approach a new market
• generate leads
• make online sales

etc..

Identify the targets:

What audiences do you want to reach? Who will be the potential customers for your products or services? In addition to customers, suppliers, your collaborators or your potential partners will also be an important target to identify.

Each target will have a particular need. Your website will meet the needs of each target, with specific features.

3. Understand user needs

After defining your targets, it is essential to understand and take into account their needs. In this part, you must take into consideration consumer tastes and trends. Sometimes they will overlap with yours, but this is not systematic. Put yourself in the shoes of your users, then find the answers to the following questions in your specifications:

• What are the needs that users wish to satisfy?
• What could you bring to users?
• What difficulties can hinder or limit the experience of the future site?
• What differentiates your site from market competitors?
• What are the different steps to meet user needs?

etc..

4. website structure

The idea for the next step is to create a schema for your site tree. Structure your pages in this way, by prioritizing them by levels, in a clear and logical way.

In this step, start identifying the most important categories, then determine the subcategories that complement the main categories. At the same time think about the types of content you will display on your site.

It is better that you create a list of features using a mindmapping in which you explain step by step how to achieve each need by detailing each step.

5. Wireframes

After you’ve created your tree, continue your next step by thinking about designing a look for your site or application. This step consists of creating models or wireframes to serve as bases for web designers and web developers. These mockups will be a simple sketch that contains the essential elements of your pages and the positioning of categories or content displayed on your site or app.

6. Graphical charter

The next step is to develop your wireframes by detailing your graphic charter and the artistic and aesthetic orientations for the design of your site or your application. The elements to be identified in this part should be:

• the logo
• main colors
• typhography
• the spacing of each element
• the type of image

etc…

Be simple, usable and impressive unique tailored to user functionality. It is important to consult the advice of the UX/UI designer or a graphic designer to achieve your expectations.

7. Technical and practical specifications

The technical specifications will depend on the functionalities that you wish to have on your site or your application and on the current technical constraints. At this stage, it is necessary to compete with several technical options to carry out your project according to specific criteria and the current requirements of your company and your technological infrastructure.

Depending on the objectives and scope of your project, you must select a development solution:  CMS like WordPress or Drupal, Custom Development, Frameworks for example… At the same time, it is equally important to make sure to list your CRM, Database, ERP, etc… The goal is to ensure that any technology chosen to create your site or application integrates seamlessly with the tools already in place.

8. Define key success factors

This is an essential step in a specification. The objective of this step is to define the success criteria of your project.

Be precise and very clear at this stage. Also, do not let your service provider guess your expectations, but present them in a clear and concrete way as soon as possible.

Take into account the KPIs and the S.M.A.R.T objective to determine the results of your project if it gains success or suffers a defeat

9. project schedule

Project planning is a final step but equally important for your specifications.  At this stage, define with your provider an appropriate process for both sides and agree on the deliverables that must be achieved at the end of each stage.

In addition, it is necessary to indicate project deadlines in order to organize your plan well and to limit the risk of delays as much as possible. At the same time plan the schedule, time for acceptance testing, i.e. the test phase before putting the project online.

Remember to always indicate what your budget is for this project. This allows us to offer a solution adapted to your needs and avoids everyone wasting time.