Workshop with a client means the successful beginning of the project

Brainstorming, analyses, exchange of opinions, ideas, and experiences, as well as technological education. This is how the workshop with a client goes in a nutshell. During the workshop, we can specify every detail related to the project, prepare the specification and mockups. Teamwork is beneficial, and making the most important decisions at the beginning is crucial for the whole implementation.

We are contacted by a client, who has an idea for a mobile app, web app, software, or IoT device. They already have a plan and vision, and now they need the right contractor. Everything looks clear and transparent, but from a technological point of view, this is only the beginning of the work. Every part of the project needs to be clarified and translated into a technical language for a programmer and an engineer. At this moment, the discussions, teleconferences, and consultations with the client begin. Phones are ringing off the hook, and emails about observations and improvements are going back and forth instantly. All this matters, but in our experience, nothing can replace face-to-face contact. This is the role of the technical workshop with the client, during which we work on the concepts together. One may be skeptical at first, but in the end, this is the best investment of time and money for both sides.

The technical workshop consists of five stages. Their duration depends on the size of the project. Usually, they range from a few to several hours and are spread over a couple of days. The final effect of the workshop with a client is always the specification of the project, developing concepts, and the initial cost estimates. If the client has an extensive brief, documentation, or prototype, we will also prepare the specification and mockups. See the whole workshop process step by step.

1. Research and analysis of the global benchmarks

Let’s start! Before we meet with our client, we want to be perfectly prepared in terms of knowledge of the future solution and technologies used. That’s why we’re starting with the meeting of the internal project team. We know that its composition depends on the type of the project, but on our side, we recommend that it should include i.e. business analyst, senior developer, and strategic director. We introduce members of the team and their bios to our clients in advance. Then, we review technological solutions present on the market. We conduct an in-depth analysis of their strong and weak points. Already at this stage, we are searching for unique functionalities, which will present a competitive advantage.

2. Workshop meeting with a client

It’s time for a kickoff meeting, which is an inaugural meeting of the project. This is the first joint meeting of two project teams, which aims at gathering all the necessary information regarding a possible implementation. It may seem cliché, but the most important thing during the workshop is a good atmosphere and a clear action plan. The fact that everybody focuses on a specific solution in one place and time is an advantage at the outset. If our client already has a platform, application, IoT device, or software, and wishes to have it updated, upgraded, or to create a new version, then we begin the workshop with the analysis of the operation of the existing solution – its strengths and weaknesses. Then, we move to the presentation of previously prepared benchmarks. In the next steps, we are focusing on our client’s business goals and design assumptions of new implementation, along with creating usage scenarios. During our joint meeting, we also define a shopping cart of products and services, as well as groups of customers. Finally, we create a persona that will define the customers’ segment for a new service.

3. Preparation of technical and functional specification

After the meeting with a client, we continue to work within our team. We already have all the knowledge required to define the functionality of the solution. We also know whether integrating other systems is necessary. We distinguish use cases to describe the requirements of the created solution. Every use case represents the scheme of the interaction between the user and the system to achieve a particular goal. As a result, the icing on the cake is the technical and functional specification. This is a document describing all the details of the project and technical requirements of the IT product to be realized. Among other things, it enables us to provide an accurate cost estimate of the client’s concept and to specify the development work to be done. A roadmap, which means a product development plan superimposed on a calendar, is also created. At the end of this stage, we create a work schedule and a plan for introducing the solution to the market. 

4. Preparation of mockups

Everything is sorted out and written down. Now, we can visualize the future product, even before we start coding. For this purpose, we prepare mockups, which should already present the final design of the application, software, or website at this stage. Here, every detail is relevant, which is why we need to define specific requirements for each view beforehand. Next, we create diagrams of particular views and the transitions between them. This enables us to see how the layout of information and the whole mechanism of the future solution is presented. Creating mockups is another step, which makes our idea take shape and makes future work easier for developers.

5. Meeting with the client / retrospective

At the last stage, during a closing meeting, we present and provide the client with the technical and functional specification and mockups. The client also receives recommendations of the technology, along with justification, in which the project should be implemented. Of course, we also provide an estimate of the costs of the entire project at the end.

If everything is accepted by our client, the workshop is coming to an end, and we can immediately move on to the next work. This is the moment when satisfaction of a job well done should be reached on both sides. What is important, during the whole project, we have the opportunity to get to know the client better and build relationships, which will certainly benefit during further cooperation.

Do you have an idea for a product and are looking for a technology partner who has all the competencies in one place and additionally will lead your project comprehensively? Do you want to develop an IoT device or need changes in the electronics or software? Write on nb@netizens.pl. We will answer all your questions and prepare a personalized offer.

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