Writing Specifications for a Mobile App Development

Project
by Tatiana Chumakova on 25 April 2014

How do you write specifications? Its a very often asked

question if you decide that you need some software to be
developed for your business. Companies, especially if they are
not involved in the software development area, can be really
confused when the need for specific software writing comes
arises. For example: If you need a mobile app and decide to ask
another mobile application development company for help,
they will probably ask you for the specifications of the project.
In this post, well look at the most common things that any
specification should have and explore mobile apps
development specifications.
How do you write specifications? It's a very often asked question if you decide
that you need some software to be developed for your business.
Companies, especially if they are not involved in the software development
area, can be really confused when the need for specific software writing comes
arises.
For example: If you need a mobile app and decide to ask another mobile
application development company for help, they will probably ask you for the
specifications of the project.
In this post, we'll look at the most common things that any specification should
have and explore mobile apps development specifications.

What are Specifications?

A technical specification is a document that defines a set of requirements that a
product or assembly must meet or exceed. A product or assembly that does not
meet all of the specifically expressed requirements does not meet the
specification, and often is referred to as being out of specification or "out of
spec." Specifications are used when a contract for technical products or services
is issued. The technical specification defines the requirements to fulfill the
contract.

Why do we need specifications? Why is it necessary to write specifications?

Specifications ensure that the client gets the product or service required.
Specifications spell out to the contracting party precisely what is wanted.
Specifications help to correlate expenditures with a budget.

Create the Specification

There is no general formula for writing specifications. However, the most

common plan for writing specification for any software development product is
often:
1. Introduction

The introduction should include the purpose, scope, definitions, technologies to

be used, the timeframe for product delivery, budget. The introduction should
describe what the specification consists of and explain how the specification is
organized.

2. Overall Description
Include such items as product perspective, product functions, user
characteristics, constraints, assumptions and dependencies, and requirements
subsets.

3. Specific Requirements
This section should contain all the software requirements to a level of detail
sufficient to enable designers to design a system to satisfy those requirements,
and testers to test that the system satisfies those requirements.

4. Supporting Information
It includes: a) Table of contents, b) Index, c) Appendices.

5. Concerns / Queries / Doubts if any:

Here you list any question and doubts concerning your project, and technologies
that you use.

So, let's have a more detailed look at how to write a good mobile app
development specification.

1. Introduction

1.1 The idea of the project - Give your service provider as many details about
your mobile app development project as you can.
1.2 Determine the key goal of your mobile application - Provide a brief but
accurate explanation of what you would like to achieve.

1.3 Specify what platforms your mobile app should work on: Android, iPhone,
BlackBerry, or any other, whether it should be a cross-platform or not.

1.4 Graphical design - Clarify whether the design will be outsourced. (If so,
specify who will be working on design-related tasks: contractor or a freelancer,
)or whether this will be done internally.

1.5 The budget of the project -clarify your budget limitations.

1.6 Desired time-frames for product delivery - Specify the date and milestones
when you would like your mobile app development project to be delivered.

2. The details of the project

2.1 Screens - Screens (tabs) should be presented separately, with images
available, presentations, and all other visual materials.
2.2 Social media integration- Clarify if your mobile app should be integrated
with social media (Facebook, Twitter.).
2.3 Landscape mode - Clarify whether you would like a landscape mode to be
implemented in your mobile app.
2.4 Offline work - Mention whether your mobile app should be able to store any
data on the device.
2.5 Server collaboration - Clarify whether your mobile app will have to send any
data from/to an external server. Provide some general description of the server
part.
2.6 Printing features -Point out if your mobile app should be able to print the
information, and, if so, what types of data will be made available for print.
2.7 In-app purchases integration - Mention if your mobile app users should be
able to buy content inside the app, and, if so, what type of content will be sold.

2.8 Geo-location services - Point out whether or not your mobile app will have
geo-data functionality.
2.9 Push notifications - Clarify if your app will have push notifications for
enhanced user interaction, and, if so, what types of notifications will be
implemented.

3. Market information
3.1 Target group - Present your ideas about potential users of your mobile app.
3.2 Competitors - Mention competitive products you want your potential service
provider to have a look at before giving you any project assessment.

4.Various issues
4.1 Responsible people from your side - Clarify who and how many people will
be involved in leading your mobile app project management in your company.
4.2 Communication - Describe the desirable method(s) of communication you
wish to have with your service provider.
4.3 Complementary information - Provide any other project-related details here,
questions, etc.