How to describe your app idea so it can be built

You do not need a specification, wireframes or a technical background to start building an app. You need a clear description of the problem. Here are the five things we ask about first, and why each one matters.

1. Who is it for?

Name one kind of person, as specifically as you can. "Parents of primary-school kids who want homework to stop being a fight" is far more useful than "families." Homeroom is built for that first group, and every screen is easier to design because of it.

2. What do they do today instead?

Every app replaces something: a spreadsheet, a paper form, a group chat, retyping the same details into job applications. Knowing what you are replacing tells us what the app has to beat, and what people will compare it to on day one.

3. What is the one job it must do well?

Most ideas grow a long list of features. Pick the one that matters most. Wanderply's core job is a day-by-day road-trip plan. Narration and trail links build on top of that. The first version of your app should do one job well enough that people come back.

4. How will people find it?

Will they search for it, hear about it from a friend, get a link from a business they already use? The answer shapes the launch website and sometimes the app itself.

5. What does success look like in three months?

A number of sign-ups, a team using it every day, a first paying customer. A clear goal helps us decide what goes into the first version and what waits.

What you can leave out

You don't need to choose a programming language, a database or a hosting provider. You don't need a name or a logo yet. You don't need to know whether it should be a web app or a phone app. Those are our decisions to propose and yours to approve.

Send it rough

A few honest sentences beat a polished pitch. Use the form on our contact page: tell us who it is for, what they do today, and the one job the app must do. We will reply with questions and a plan.