Early Stages of an Idea
THE 7 STEPS BEFORE CODE
How we help clients learn if their idea is worth investing in.
Most prospective clients with a brilliant app idea don’t know what the full process looks like.
So we’re sharing the early client process to give you a clear view of what happens when.
In the end, our process leads to informed decisions from all sides without incurring huge costs. We’ll call that a win-win.
STEP 1: TALK IT OUT
First up: we chat. This probably happens over a couple meetings, and really varies from project to project.
The first chat is always free, and can be as casual as you’d like. After that we’ll explore lower-cost prototype options that cost far less than a commitment to actually developing your app.
STEP 2: EXPLORE A PROTOTYPE
Figma is a wonderful tool. It allows our team to build workable prototypes of basic app functionality with relatively little effort and investigation.
This is an extremely cost effective way to run early user research and stress test the basics of your idea.
*Step 2 Might actually come after steps 3 and 4, depending on your idea. This varies wildly based how complicated the app is likely to be and how far along you’ve investigated so far.
STEP 3: RESEARCH, TEST, ANALYZE
Next up is some more research. We’ll help conduct early user testing to nail down core app component needs and put together a full market analysis to make sure you’re working without direct competition.
STEP 4: EXPLORE & ENSURE TECHNICAL VIABILITY
Wireframes and prototypes are great, but eventually the time comes to make sure your idea can actually be built.
This step is all about making sure the app can withstand technical requirements from all angles, like Apple and Google app store rules, cloud software capabilities, and more.
STEP 5: IDENTIFY & PROTECT INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
There’s a difference between an idea and an invention. And if you’re smart enough to have the latter, that needs to be protected ASAP.
KRUTSCH has secured 18 patents out of 19 filings. 95% success rate almost doubles the industry average. Yes, patents matter. And yes, we’re good at getting them.
STEP 6: INVESTIGATE BUSINESS MODEL & REVENUE STREAM
This is admittedly more on our clients than us. We’re not financial advisors. But we at least make sure we have an honest conversation about what true business viability looks like for your idea.
STEP 7: BRAINSTORM LAUNCH & PROMOTION STRATEGY
One of the worst case scenarios is you spend a small fortune getting your brilliant idea developed and launch it to… crickets.
So we start planning your launch and promotion efforts early, and bring in trusted partners like BK&Co who specialize in social marketing.
“THAT’S IT.”
Of course, we don’t say, “That’s it” because it’s simple. But that really is the process we go through for new client ideas.
It doesn’t cost as much as fully developing an app. And it helps stress-test before a big commitment.
End Note
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Ken Krutsch is Founder & President of KRUTSCH, a digital product design firm. From concept to delivery, KRUTSCH specializes in designing consumer and commercial applications. We generate and execute ideas, finding opportunities for our clients to innovate. Because solving the right problem builds careers, organizations, and professional relationships.
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