Seeking Input: What Features Actually Matter in Beekeeping Software?

[AJAntonov]

Seeking Input: What Features Actually Matter in Beekeeping Software?​

Hello fellow beekeepers,

I'm reaching out to tap into the collective wisdom of this community. I wear two hats - a software engineer with 24 years of experience and a beekeeper for the past 7 years. I'm currently working on developing practical beekeeping software that addresses our real-world challenges.

Like many of you, I've struggled with the practical aspects of record-keeping while managing my apiary - trying to take notes while wearing gloves, remembering which colonies need attention, tracking treatments, and the tedious process of transferring voice recordings to usable data after inspections. I believe beekeeping software should solve these problems rather than create new ones.

I'm looking to prioritize development by identifying what creates the most value for UK beekeepers. Before diving deep into coding, I want to understand which of these potential features would actually make a difference in your beekeeping practice:

1. Prioritized Colony Management - Identify which colonies need urgent attention in 50 seconds flat, never again missing critical intervention windows.
2. Operation Verification - Complete every essential hive task the first time with digital checklists, ending the cycle of forgotten treatments.
3. Inspection Readiness - Prepare for each hive visit in under 60 seconds with instant history access, even for beekeepers managing 50+ colonies.
4. Operational Compliance - Maintain 100% compliance with required hive operations in just minutes per week, even during peak season.
5. Pre-Inspection Intelligence - Review essential colony data in 30 seconds before opening any hive, eliminating guesswork and surprises.
6. Smart Colony Triage - Prioritize your apiary management daily in under 5 minutes, ensuring no colony falls through the cracks.
7. Instant Hive Context - Access the complete history of any hive in your apiary in a minute, even with dozens of colonies.
8. Urgency-Based Management - Identify your 3 most critical hives each morning in under a minute, optimizing limited inspection time.
9. Task Verification System - Ensure 100% completion of seasonal hive tasks without second visits, even for beekeepers with memory challenges.
10. Inspection Preparation - Walk into your apiary fully prepared with just 60 seconds of app review, even after weeks between visits.
11. Smart Intervention System - Never miss a critical colony intervention with daily alerts, even during your busiest non-beekeeping periods.
12. Complete Operation Tracker - Maintain perfect records of every hive action throughout the season, without a single missing data point.

What I'm asking: Which ONE of these features would add the most value to your beekeeping practice?
And equally important - what critical features am I missing that would make beekeeping software truly useful when you're in your veil and gloves?
I'm committed to creating something that genuinely helps UK beekeepers, not just another tech solution looking for a problem.

Thanks in advance for your insights,
P.S. If you're using any current software, I'd love to hear what works and what doesn't!

 

[Sutty]

10,5,2