The very first step in Product-Based Planning is to write the Project Product Description.
This is a description of the main product that the project will produce (for example, the “Apartment Block”).
A detailed Project Product Description is very important to understand what needs to be produced by the project and to understand the required quality.
The Senior User is responsible for providing the information on the Project Product Description, but in practice, the Project Manager might do most of the work in preparing this document, as they will be used to it.
They will consult with the Senior User and Executive in this regard.
The Project Product Description should be as detailed and complete as possible and it can have the following format as described in Appendix A of this PRINCE2 manual: Project
The Product Description
Purpose
The purpose of a product description is to describe a product’s purpose, composition, derived from,
and quality specifications. It is produced at the planning time, as soon as possible after the need for
the product is identified.
Identifier: the product name or a unique identifier if the project has a large number of products
Version: the current version number of the product description
Purpose: the purpose of the product, how it will be used, and who will use it
Composition: a list of the product’s components or parts
Derived from: the source of this product, such as a design, a commercial product, an existing
system to be upgraded or replaced, or a statement of expected benefits
Quality specifications: the functional and non-functional requirements for the product along with
their associated measures
Development or production approach and skills required: a description of how the product is
expected to be developed or produced and any special skills, facilities, or equipment required
Quality tolerance: the ranges within which key quality specifications can vary and remain acceptable
Quality methods and quality skills required: the quality methods (such as verification, test, and
inspection) to be used to check that the product meets its quality specification and the indication of
skills required to perform the quality control activities
Responsibilities: the producer, reviewer, and acceptance authority for the product.
- Identifier: A unique key ( used by Configuration Management )
- Title: The Project Name (e.g., Apartment Block)
- Purpose: What is the purpose of the product? (For example: To build high-quality apartment block with 8 x 2 bedroom apartments to rent out.
- Composition: A description of the major products to be delivered by the project (such as a description of the apartments).
- Source Products: List of products that are used to create the product but are not seen as part of the final product (for example, architect plan, scaffolding, and building equipment).
- Skills Required: Skills required to create the products
- Users Quality Expectations: A description of the expected quality and standards that will be used. This will cover all specifications and the functionally of each product.
- Acceptance Criteria: A checklist – a prioritized list of criteria that the product must provide before it can be accepted by the customer. See this as a spreadsheet list of all the Quality Expectations, with an extra column to mark accepted.
- Tolerances: Tolerance for time, costs, quality, scope, benefits and risks
- Acceptance method: Describe how the Project Product may be accepted
- Acceptance Responsibility: Who will be responsible for confirming acceptance?
The Project Product Description
Don’t confuse the Project Product Description with the normal Product Descriptions, the Project Product Description is a description of the main product that will be produced by the project.
The Project Product Description is created in the Starting Up a Project process.
The purpose of the project product description is to describe the project’s major products and
intended purpose, including the user’s quality expectations, the acceptance criteria, and acceptance
methods for the project. It is created in the process of starting up a project and refined during the
process of initiating a project.
Purpose: a description of what the project products will fulfil and who will use them
Major products: a description of the major products to be delivered
Derived from: what the products are based on, such as existing products or a requirement for a
new capability
User’s quality expectations: description of the quality expected of the project products and the
standards and procedures that will need to be applied to achieve them
Acceptance criteria: a prioritized list of criteria that the project products must meet to be accepted
by the user
Acceptance methods and responsibilities: the means by which acceptance will be confirmed, and
the people responsible for the acceptance decisions will be determined
Project level quality tolerances: any tolerances that apply to the acceptance criteria.
Usage
It becomes part of the Project Brief and may be refined in the Initiation Stage when creating the Project Plan. After this, the Project Product Description is subject to change control, as it is baselined at the end of the Initiation Stage.
The Product Descriptions are created in the IP stage as part of the planning activity.
The Project Product Description is used by the Closing a Project Process to help verify that the project has delivered what was expected and that the acceptance criteria have been met.
A good example of a Project Product Description that I like to use is the information that is provided for a laptop computer on a computer web site.
There will be an overview description, features, specifications and guarantee information.
See the websites of Dell, HP or Asus for an example. As you can see it does not have to be 100 pages.
According to the PRINCE2 manual a Project Product Description should include
- The purpose of the main product, i.e., what the project must deliver to gain acceptance
- Its composition, i.e., the set of products that will be delivered during the project that make up the main product
- Customer’s Quality Expectations
- Acceptance Criteria, Acceptance Methods and Acceptance Responsibilities
- Project-level quality tolerances
Product-Based Planning – Example
As mentioned at the start of this chapter, few project managers use the Product Breakdown Structure, so here is a simple example. Let us first start with a simple Product Description.
Example Project Product Description for Website Project Title
- Purpose
- Composition
- Derivation
- Development Skills
Etc… Book Web site - Create a web site to promote a new book. The Web site should allow visitors to register, view a sample, buy the book and join a newsletter list
• Welcome Page
• Registration Page
• Register Page for Newsletter
• Purchase Page
• Copy of Book
• Hosting provided name
• Site Design & Layout Requirements
• Web Site Template
• Layout for Registration Page
• Hosting provided name
• Joomla Knowledge
• Knowledge to set up site with hosting company
I Guarantee You Will Pass Your PRINCE2 Exams At First Try HERE!
PRINCE2® 7 Foundation and Practitioner
Learn PRINCE2® 7 Foundation and Practitioner Online
** Enhance your PRINCE2 career now **
PRINCE2® Masterclass gives you the skills necessary to manage projects effectively and achieve your objectives.
Get 7 days a week 12 months one to one coaching with ex PRINCE2 examiner Dave Litten.
PRINCE2® is a globally recognized project management framework. By completing both the Foundation and Practitioner courses through our self-paced e-learning, you will develop an understanding of the methodology and learn how to effectively adapt it to any project.
The PRINCE2® 7 Foundation and Practitioner Masterclass is PeopleCert Accredited and guarantees to take you from PRINCE2 Novice to PRINCE2 Practitioner with our famous video learning, study guides and practice exams.
What Does the Masterclass Cover?
The PRINCE2 Foundation examination assesses your knowledge and comprehension of the PRINCE2 project management methodology as detailed in the syllabus. The PRINCE2 Practitioner examination, on the other hand, gauges your ability to apply and tailor the PRINCE2 method. Candidates who pass the Practitioner exam should be able to start implementing the method on an actual project with some guidance. However, their effectiveness may differ based on their experience in project management, the complexity of the project, and the level of support they receive in their work environment.
