394: How to Polish Your Idea Before Hiring a Developer with Chaim Sajnovsky

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About the Episode

What do most developers make a mistake?

Full and general spec and mockup

Mistakes when creating a flow holes

Chaim Sajnovsky is the founder of b7dev.com.

Show Notes

The Most Common Mistake Made When Hiring a Developer:

Chaim advises that if you have an idea and you want to hire a developer, be sure to be as detailed as possible.  Rework the idea, add details, the more details the better. This is not about adding more features to the app, Chaim clarifies, but to be as precise as possible in describing what the app should be able to do. Normally, to get an estimate or a price quote from a developer, an app builder must send a ton of specs and descriptions to the developer. This is where the mistake happens. In the tons of information required by a developer, some things may have been forgotten. The developer then will use this as leverage so he can charge more.

Types of Documentation 

• Full Spec Documentation – this is the most detailed type of documentation sent to a developer. It contains all information required to make the app work. Each step of the app idea is specified and detailed. It clearly defines what the app is expected to do and to be.

• General Spec Documentation – It basically describes the idea, what it can be and its uses but the direction is not yet clearly defined. It is like an exploration of what the idea can ultimately become. For example, if the developer takes it to that direction, the idea can morph to this. If taken in another direction, the idea can be developed this way. This documentation takes less time.

• Mock up –  A mock up is what a developer and his client do when discussing an idea and how it should be developed or done. This is an idea taken to the developer and instead of papers, designs on paper and more documentation, the developer and the owner of the idea discuss the app using tools readily available on the Web. It is not a final design; it is something to describe the idea. Before a mock up, preparation is required. A developer can have some free apps he can use, he can just drag and paste to show the general idea of how the app will look. “

What are Flow Holes?

When making a flow chart, a developer usually has bullet points of how the actual app will be used. A flow chart is the road map of the user. A developer after making the flow chart can then easily spot the missing buttons that the user must have to get to, for example, from screen a to screen b. This is a flow hole. Another example of a flow hole is if the developer sees that the app is not responsive enough. For example, after clicking on something, the user should have a pop up that says “Thank you for clicking on this.” Flow holes are actually flaws in the app flow that should be spotted early on by a developer.

Show Mentions

– Fav app: MYOG: (iTunes)