How to Plan a Software Project: A Simple Guide for Founders | Our Processes

Building software is a lot like building a house – you need a clear plan before laying the first brick. In our last article, we talked about the early stages of personalized project planning: brainstorming your idea, having personal consultations, and scoping. These steps help you figure out what your software is meant to do and set up everything that comes next.

Now, let’s move on to the planning and visualization stage, where your idea starts to take shape through detailed planning and wireframes. This part is about refining your vision, making sure everyone is on the same page, and building a strong foundation for your project. Spending extra time here lowers risks and gives your project a better chance of success.

Whether you’re creating a brand-new app or improving an existing one, this guide will explain what to expect, why it matters, and how it can help your project succeed.

How Planning and Visualization Work for New vs. Existing Projects

New Projects

For brand-new software projects, planning and visualization are like creating a map for unknown territory. Since there’s no product yet, this stage involves a lot of research to understand what the market wants, what users need, and whether your idea is technically possible.

We take the general ideas from the earlier phases and work through the finer details. Then, we build a clickable wireframe – a basic, interactive version of your software. This helps everyone, from founders to developers, clearly understand what’s being built.

This research is important because it helps find gaps and opportunities. For example, by reviewing similar apps, you might discover smart features to borrow or mistakes to avoid. According to the Standish Group, only 34% of IT projects finish on time and within budget – often because of poor planning.

Existing Products

For existing software, planning focuses on improving what you already have. You don’t need as much research because you can use past data like analytics, heatmaps, and user feedback to spot areas for improvement. New features or updates get their own wireframes, which makes sure they fit well with the current system.

Wireframes can also help test different design ideas through A/B testing before spending time and money on development. This step-by-step process ensures your updates improve the user experience without breaking the system.

Key Difference: New projects need more upfront research and flexibility, usually following Agile methods to adjust along the way. Existing projects rely on existing data and frameworks, focusing on refining and upgrading what’s already in place.

Why Wireframes Matter

Wireframes are simple layouts that show how your software will work without worrying about colors or designs yet. They’re important because they:

• Show Early Ideas: Help you see how your software will function before coding.
• Save Money: Making changes in the planning stage is much cheaper than during development.
• Gather Feedback: Allow you to test ideas with users early on.
• Improve Communication: Keep everyone – founders, designers, and developers – on the same page.
• Reduce Risk: Spot problems early, like confusing navigation or missing features.

A study by MoldStud shows that good prototyping, including wireframing, can cut development costs by up to 30%. For non-tech founders, wireframes make abstract ideas real and easy to test, without needing to write code.

When You Might Skip a Prototype (At Your Own Risk)

Even though wireframes are very useful, there are rare cases when you might not need one. For example:

• If your software is extremely simple, like a basic website with no interactive features.
• If your requirements are already crystal clear with no room for confusion.
• If your system is mostly about processing data in the background, with very little user interaction.

But even in these cases, a simple wireframe can still prevent misunderstandings and keep everyone aligned. Around 70% of projects fail because of unclear requirements, and 50% need rework for the same reason. A wireframe provides a clear, shared vision, making it easier to talk to developers and avoid costly mistakes.

When More Clarification Is Needed

While building wireframes, you’ll often discover “hidden” requirements – things no one mentioned but are still expected. These can include:

• Negative Scenarios: How the software handles errors or problems.
• Legal Requirements: Meeting rules like GDPR for user data.
• Accessibility: Making sure people with disabilities can use your software.
• Scalability: Planning for future growth in users or data.

These details matter because they make your software safe, legal, and easy to use. For instance, an online store might need to support different currencies and tax rules, even if no one mentioned it at first.

The Consortium for Information & Software Quality (CISQ) reports that software problems cost U.S. companies $607 billion a year, often because of missed requirements. IBM research also shows that fixing a bug during coding is six times more expensive than fixing it during planning.

When Visual Designs Are Made

The software’s look – its colors, fonts, and graphics – usually gets designed after the planning and wireframing stage. But involving a designer early can improve your project. They can suggest layout tweaks, fix usability issues, and make sure everything flows smoothly before development starts.

Good design isn’t just about looks. It helps users find what they need, makes software easier to update, and reduces bugs later. According to the Nielsen Norman Group, early usability testing (often done during design) can cut costs by up to 50% by fixing problems before any code is written.

Why Project Estimates May Change

Your original project estimate is based on broad ideas (high-level requirements). But once you dive into planning and wireframing, you might find extra features or technical challenges you didn’t see before. This is completely normal.

Updating the estimate after planning makes sure you have enough time, money, and resources to finish the job properly. Agile development methods are great for this because they’re built to adjust estimates and plans as new information comes up.

The Importance of Testing

Many people think testing happens only after coding starts, but testing wireframes is just as important. It checks if the software meets user needs, works well, and follows requirements. You can test wireframes by:

• Usability Testing: Making sure the interface is clear and easy to use.
• Internal Reviews: Spotting errors or missing features.
• Scenario Testing: Making sure all possible user actions are covered.

Catching problems early saves a lot of money. According to NIST, fixing a bug after a product is released can cost 30 times more than fixing it during planning. Techniques like user story mapping help make sure no important interactions are missed.

What Comes Next

If you’re planning your software product  with us, after planning and wireframing, you’ll receive a detailed commercial proposal, including:

• Cost Breakdown: A more accurate price based on the detailed plan.
• Timeline: Clear deadlines for each stage of development.
• Feature Priorities: A list of must-have features for the first version (called the MVP) and ones to add later.

The MVP (Minimum Viable Product) concept means launching a simple version of your software quickly to test with users and gather feedback. After this, you move into the design and development stages.

Tips for Non-Tech Founders

• Ask Questions: Don’t be afraid to ask how things work or what happens in tricky situations.
• Review the Wireframe: Test it yourself to make sure it feels natural.
• Prioritize Features: Focus on must-haves for the MVP.
• Choose the Right Team: Find a team that communicates clearly and has a strong portfolio.

Where to Go From Here

Planning your software project properly from the start saves time, money, and stress later. You don’t need to be a tech expert — you just need a reliable partner who can turn your idea into reality.

If you’d like to get a clear, customized plan for your software product, we’re here to help. Reach out or book a consultation right away to get it started!