Table of Contents

Why Do I Need a Requirements Document?
What Should a Requirements Document Include?
What Mistakes Do Non-Technical Founders Make in Requirements?
How Does the Requirements Document Affect Cost Estimates?
What the Community Is Asking
How NepTechPal Can Help
Frequently Asked Questions

You have a mobile app idea. Now you need to communicate it clearly enough that a developer or app development company can build exactly what you envision. This is where most non-technical founders struggle — and where miscommunication leads to wasted money, missed deadlines, and products that don’t match the original vision. A well-written app requirements document bridges the gap between your business idea and the technical team’s execution.

You don’t need to understand code. You need to understand your users, your business goals, and what you want the app to do. This guide from NepTechPal gives you a practical template and framework for writing requirements that any developer can understand.

Why Do I Need a Requirements Document?

A requirements document prevents scope creep, reduces miscommunication, enables accurate cost estimates, and serves as the contractual reference for what will (and won’t) be built — potentially saving your project 30-50% in budget overruns.

Without a requirements document:
– Developer interprets your idea differently than you intended
– “Just one more feature” additions inflate cost and delay launch
– No clear reference point for what was agreed upon
– Scope disagreements arise with no documentation to resolve them
– Multiple developers give wildly different quotes because they’re estimating different things

With a requirements document:
– Everyone shares the same understanding of the project
– Developers provide accurate quotes based on defined scope
– Changes are tracked and their cost impact is clear
– Acceptance criteria define when the project is “done”
– The document becomes part of your development contract

What Should a Requirements Document Include?

A complete requirements document covers seven sections: Project Overview, User Profiles, Feature List with User Stories, Technical Requirements, Design Requirements, Non-Functional Requirements, and Timeline/Budget Constraints.

Here’s the template:

Section 1: Project Overview

Write in plain language. No jargon required.

App name: (even if temporary)
One-sentence description: “An app that lets [users] do [action] to achieve [benefit]”
Problem statement: What problem does this app solve? Who has this problem?
Business model: How will this app make money? (subscriptions, transactions, ads, commissions)
Target market: Who will use this app? Where are they? How many potential users?
Competitive apps: List 2-3 similar apps. What will yours do differently or better?
Success metrics: How will you measure if the app is successful? (downloads, active users, revenue, bookings)

Example:

App name: PokharaStay
Description: An app that lets tourists in Pokhara browse and book authentic local homestays directly from verified hosts.
Problem: Tourists wanting authentic local experiences can’t easily find or trust homestays outside of OTA platforms. Hosts pay 15-25% OTA commissions.
Business model: 5% commission per booking.
Target market: International tourists visiting Pokhara (2M+ annual target), English-speaking, age 25-45.
Competition: Booking.com (general), Airbnb (not focused on Nepal), no local alternative.
Success: 500 downloads in month 1, 50 bookings in month 2, 200 bookings/month by month 6.

Section 2: User Profiles

Describe each type of user who will interact with the app.

For each user type, describe:
– Who they are (demographics, tech comfort level)
– What they want to accomplish
– How they’ll typically use the app
– What devices they use

Example:

User Type 1: Tourist (Guest)
– International traveler, 25-45, English-speaking
– Wants to find and book authentic local stays in Pokhara
– Will browse listings, check availability, book, and pay
– Uses iPhone or Android (50/50 split for international tourists)
– May have limited internet connectivity in rural areas

User Type 2: Host (Homestay Owner)
– Local Pokhara resident, 30-60, may prefer Nepali language
– Wants to list their homestay, manage bookings, receive payments
– Will upload photos, set pricing, manage calendar, respond to inquiries
– Primarily Android user, moderate tech comfort

User Type 3: Admin (NepTechPal/PokharaStay Team)
– Manages platform, verifies hosts, handles disputes, views analytics
– Uses web admin panel (not the mobile app)

Section 3: Feature List with User Stories

This is the most important section. List every feature as a “user story.”

Format: “As a [user type], I want to [action] so that [benefit].”

Group features by priority:

Should-Have (Version 1.0):
| # | User Story | Notes |
|—|—|—|
| 7 | As a tourist, I want to message the host before booking so I can ask questions | In-app chat |
| 8 | As a tourist, I want to leave a review after my stay so others can benefit | Star rating + text review |
| 9 | As a host, I want to see my earnings dashboard so I can track income | Monthly earnings, booking history |

Could-Have (Future):
| # | User Story | Notes |
|—|—|—|
| 10 | As a tourist, I want to book local experiences alongside my stay | Activities, guided tours |
| 11 | As an admin, I want to run promotion campaigns | Push notification campaigns |

Section 4: Technical Requirements

You don’t need to specify HOW to build it. Specify WHAT it needs to work with.

Platforms: iOS, Android, or both?
Language support: English only? English + Nepali?
Payment gateways: eSewa, Khalti, international cards?
Third-party integrations: Google Maps, SMS service, email service?
Offline capability: Does it need to work without internet?
Admin panel: Web-based admin needed?
Analytics: What user data do you want to track?
Push notifications: What events trigger notifications?

Section 5: Design Requirements

Brand assets: Do you have a logo, brand colors, fonts? (If not, do you need branding services?)
Reference apps: List 2-3 apps whose design style you like (even from other industries)
Key design principles: Clean/minimal? Colorful/vibrant? Professional/corporate?
Accessibility: Any specific requirements for users with disabilities?

Section 6: Non-Functional Requirements

Performance: How fast should pages load? (Under 3 seconds is standard)
Security: What data needs encryption? User authentication requirements?
Scalability: How many concurrent users should the app support?
Availability: Uptime requirements? (99.9% is standard)
Data privacy: Compliance requirements? (GDPR if serving EU tourists)

Section 7: Timeline and Budget

Desired launch date: When do you want the app live?
Budget range: Be honest about your budget — it helps developers scope appropriately
Phasing: Are you open to launching an MVP first?
Ongoing budget: What can you spend monthly on maintenance and updates?

What Mistakes Do Non-Technical Founders Make in Requirements?

The five most common mistakes are being too vague, specifying solutions instead of problems, ignoring edge cases, not prioritizing features, and forgetting about the admin side.

Mistake 1: Too vague
– Bad: “The app should have a good search function”
– Good: “Users can search listings by location (text input or map), date range, price range (NPR slider), and filter by amenities (WiFi, hot water, kitchen, etc.)”

Mistake 2: Specifying solutions
– Bad: “Use MongoDB for the database and implement a microservices architecture”
– Good: “The app needs to handle 1,000 concurrent users and store listing data including high-resolution photos” (let the developer choose the appropriate technology — that’s their expertise)

Mistake 3: Ignoring edge cases
– What happens when a booking is cancelled?
– What if a payment fails midway?
– What if a host doesn’t respond to a booking request?
– What if a user has no internet connection?

Mistake 4: Not prioritizing
Every feature feels important, but treating everything as priority 1 means nothing is prioritized. Use the MoSCoW method (Must/Should/Could/Won’t) to force ranking.

Mistake 5: Forgetting admin needs
Your app needs management tools: user management, content moderation, analytics, dispute resolution, financial reporting. These aren’t visible to end users but are essential for operations.

Need help with this? NepTechPal offers free consultations for businesses in Nepal.

How Does the Requirements Document Affect Cost Estimates?

A detailed requirements document enables developers to provide accurate estimates within 10-15% variance, while vague requirements lead to estimates with 50-100% variance — the difference between a manageable project and a budget disaster.

Document Quality	Estimate Accuracy	Typical Outcome
No document (“just build me an app like Uber”)	50-100% variance	Budget overruns, scope disputes
Basic outline (1-2 pages)	30-50% variance	Some surprises, manageable
Detailed requirements (5-10 pages)	10-20% variance	Predictable, controlled
Requirements + wireframes	5-15% variance	Best outcome, minimal surprises

For mobile app cost planning, the investment in writing thorough requirements pays for itself many times over.

What the Community Is Asking

“Do I need to pay for a requirements document?” Some agencies charge for a discovery phase that produces the requirements document (NPR 30,000-80,000). This is actually a good sign — it means they take planning seriously. NepTechPal includes discovery and requirements definition as part of our project engagement.

“Can the developer write the requirements for me?” The developer can help translate your ideas into technical requirements, but you must provide the business context, user understanding, and feature priorities. The best documents are collaborative — your business knowledge + their technical expertise.

“How long should a requirements document be?” 5-15 pages for a typical mobile app. Longer isn’t better — clarity and completeness matter more than length. Use tables and bullet points for scanability.

“What if my requirements change during development?” They will — and that’s normal. The document isn’t a prison; it’s a baseline. Changes are evaluated for cost and timeline impact, agreed upon, and documented. This is vastly better than having no baseline at all.

How NepTechPal Can Help

NepTechPal offers a structured discovery phase where we work with founders to transform business ideas into comprehensive technical requirements. Whether you come to us with a napkin sketch or a 20-page document, our team will refine, validate, and prepare your requirements for development. We speak both “business” and “technical” — bridging the communication gap that derails so many projects.

Start your app project with NepTechPal

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use this template for a web application too?

Yes. The structure applies to any software project — web apps, mobile apps, or combined platforms. The sections (project overview, user profiles, features, technical requirements) are universal. Adjust the platform-specific details as needed.

For detailed requirements that include proprietary business concepts, yes. Any professional app development company will sign an NDA. However, ideas themselves are rarely protectable — execution is what creates value.

How detailed should wireframes be in the requirements document?

Hand-drawn sketches or simple box layouts are sufficient at the requirements stage. Professional wireframes come during the design phase. Your goal is to communicate layout intent, not pixel-perfect design. Tools like Balsamiq or even paper sketches work perfectly.

What if I don’t know the technical requirements?

Focus on what you need the app to DO, not how it should be built technically. “Users need to pay with eSewa” is a business requirement. Whether the developer implements it via API or SDK is their decision. NepTechPal helps non-technical founders translate business needs into technical specifications.

Have an app idea but not sure how to document it? NepTechPal’s discovery team will help you turn your vision into clear requirements. Get started at neptechpal.com.np

Ready to grow your business with technology? Schedule a free consultation today.

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How to Write a Mobile App Requirements Document: A Template for Non-Technical Founders

Why Do I Need a Requirements Document?