Key Points & Must Knows

Disclaimer: Not looking to hire – here for project advise.

I am looking into developing a new software product but unsure how to start, or how to construct a development 'breif'. Essentially, I would like to understand the key points a developer initially needs to be informed about – before embarking on a project.

What technical details of the project do you need? Is there a template that you like to use? Or do you just go off a client breif/ description? If there are decision points that need to be made in the development structure ,what factors drive the decision? Timelines? Development pricing?

…what do you NEED TO KNOW about a project [ as a developer ], in order to get the process rolling.