How to create a mobile application requirement document

A clear definition of the business idea for the software you want to build is crucial in how functional and successful your product will turn out. Creating a mobile application requirement document is a practical way to ensure that the development team has all the details and descriptions to understand the need of the enterprise.

With this, you have provided a more reliable groundwork to help bring the application’s development to life.

However, creating a functional mobile application requirement document can be daunting. In most cases, it is done by the business analyst who understands the overall business task the application is supposed to solve.

Here, the business analyst is tasked with turning ideas into well-detailed specifications and a comprehensive list of technical requirements. The mobile application requirement document also contains the risk and the level of work to be done.

That being said, let’s understand all that comes with a mobile application requirement document, its features, and a guide to building an efficient one.

A mobile application requirement document details the purpose of the product — from the vision, ideas, concept, technical specification, goals, and scope of work. This document serves as a guide to help your development team launch your ideas, manage the processes and turn them into a functioning application.

Beyond outlining the concept or idea, the mobile application requirement document explains what problem the application is meant to solve, what exactly to build, and who the target audience or users are. It links the intent behind the project to the potential end product and organizes the processes involved in the development.

This way, the development team can discuss every clarification necessary, make a suggestion, and strike out any aspect that is not feasible. The mobile application requirement document not only creates a clear picture of what the application should do but is also a guide and reference to ensure every development stage stays within the concept’s scope.

Primarily, a mobile application requirement document helps the development team to stay on track with the vision statement for the product. It also helps to manage the entire software development process.

Many hidden elements can be exposed when the details of an idea or concept are thoroughly explored. This is also the case with application development. When the development team fully understands the expected results, there are fewer communication errors, better time management, and a more straightforward process.

Another reason a mobile application requirement document is essential is to ensure that new development team members don’t feel lost. It gives them an overview of the task and expectations and helps smooth the onboarding process.

An app requirement document doesn’t just stop being useful after completing the application development. It also helps to carry out maintenance in the future as long as it is updated regularly.

Feature of an efficient mobile app requirement document

Now that we know a mobile application requirement document let’s get into the writing process. It is important to note that there is no size fit all pattern to writing an app requirement document.

Your aim and focus should be a detailed and comprehensive document that can help developers build the app with precision. With this in mind, here are some steps to help you create an effective mobile application requirement document.

Start by explaining what the concept is about. Take time to itemize what you are trying to achieve with this app, and talk about what problems the application will be solving. This is also where you define your target audience.

Defining the concept or idea also means describing the functionalities of the application and its primary features. For instance, if you are trying to build a delivery application that helps customers track their delivery from the point of pick up till it gets to them. Then you should include all the functionalities this application will possess, which both users, the customer, and the vendor, should see on their end.

Detail the strengths and competitive advantage this application will have over existing competitors. If it is a new industry idea, describe how it will improve businesses and provide business solutions.

In the first step, you took time to describe your idea, including your target audience. It is time to understand your target audience, their needs and wants, and how to satisfy them effectively. This is where you gather and analyze statistical data related to your building application.

Here, you can create a practical user persona. Identify and outline your user’s current behavioral pattern, pain points, goals, and strategizing. For a more comprehensive survey, you can include other demographics like location, age, occupation, and general interests.

In this section of the requirement document, you can add details of your competitors and the industry at large.

It is not enough that you understand how your users behave or their pain points; your requirement document should further explain how to solve these problems and satisfy the users.

This is where the right features come into play. With the precise picture you have of your user’s expectations, choose key features that must be on the application and those that must not be included. Remember that the application should focus on the business needs.

After establishing these key features, you can include features that should be on the app and others that could come in handy. This part of the document helps the developers to know which third-party software and APIs they will need to develop the app.

Your functional specifications define requests and responses within the application. Here, you outline the requests, tasks, or functions that users might want to perform within the app and the app’s responses.

With this, you can streamline the application’s main functionalities such that it can respond swiftly to these user tasks or requests.

Email verification is an example of a functional requirement. Another would be adding a ‘forgot password’ section that verifies a user by sending a link to their email.

Non-functional user specifications focus on the software’s operational capabilities and constraints which helps developers understand how to build the application correctly.

Having a checklist of non-functional requirements will help ensure everything is included. Some of the most important NFRs include;

After putting together your mobile application requirement document, assess and analyze it with the development team. Ensure that everyone participating in the development process is engaged in this evaluation. From the developers, UI/UX designers, technical writers, QA engineers, and any other team member.

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