Describe the job, not the screens
A useful app brief names the person, the job they are in the middle of, and what 'done' looks like. 'A dashboard' is not a job. 'A field engineer logs a site visit with photos while they still have signal' is a job. Screens come after that sentence is stable.
Draw a line around version one
Mobile stores punish bloated first releases. Decide who will use v1, which workflow must work offline or on a bad connection, and which login, payment or notification features are actually required on day one. Everything else is a later version — write it down so it does not sneak back in during build.
- iOS, Android or both, and why
- Accounts, roles and which system already holds them
- What must work with poor connectivity
- How you will know the first release was worth shipping
Name the systems behind the app
Most app delays are API delays. If the product needs your CRM, a booking tool or an ERP, say so in the brief. If those systems cannot yet support the job, the honest next step is that work — not a prettier prototype.