I am a software developer and business owner, but I am not writing about software development...and I am not a lawyer either, but after what I have been through, I highly recommend the following...

1) Get a good business lawyer. Look around, find someone you can trust, either someone you know or based on solid recommendations.
2) Use that lawyer to draw up whatever is necessary to protect your intellectual property. Make sure the idea and code are going to stay yours. Nobody should be privvy to your idea and offered to work on it without a non-disclosure agreement and/or non-compete agreement.

Once you have done the above steps, you can proceed in identifying what it is you need and finding someone to do it for you.

3) Get someone to translate your idea into what is going to be required for your idea. This is called a functional specification. This outlines exactly what your idea is and how it should function.

4) Based on #3 above, you will want to have a detailed design specification created. This will translate what you expect the software/website to do into what the developers, database designers etc will need to do to make your idea a reality.

5) Last, based on that detailed design spec, agree on a set of mile markers and a payment plan. Pay based on percentage of completion if you can.

Depending on your idea, these things may or may not need to be expensive. There is nothing that says each step has to be performed by the same party either, although you may want the same team doing all of it if they know what they are doing. You can have the plans drawn up and bid out the development as well if you like.

You don't need to know about development. Once you are ready to move on development there are plenty of resources available once you know the skill sets required. You can use the detailed design specification to put a reasonable bid specification together. Just keep in mind you will be acting like your own general contractor building a house if you do this. You may be better off with getting someone who drew up the plans to ensure they get executed properly and according to your budget, which should be spelled out early in the process.

Just keep in mind the more detailed the roadmap, the easier the destination. Having a detailed plan with a signed contract will not only help ensure your idea is implemented right the first time and for the least amount of overall cost, but it will also protect everyone from a legal battle when things break down.

Bruce


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