1. proposal phase
1.1. Activities
1.1.1. Submit product to Plan of Record.
1.1.2. Prepare Product Requirements Document (sections on feature set, competition and market information).
1.1.3. Determine and prioritize feature set and benefits.
1.1.4. Examine existing company technologies.
1.1.5. Work with project team to develop and validate feature set.
1.1.6. Solicit input from international sources (technical support, sales engineers, etc.).
1.1.7. Determine minimum functionality required.
1.1.8. Identify product modifications for international markets.
1.1.9. Provide the localization team with the languages that the product group is interested in localizing.
1.1.10. Determine the competitors' top three strengths and weaknesses.
1.1.11. Continue research plans worldwide.
1.1.12. Gather and analyze marketing information.
1.1.13. Begin meetings with project team.
1.1.14. Continue with competitor analysis.
1.1.15. Visit customers to validate feature set.
1.1.16. Consider a feature set effectiveness survey.
1.1.17. If v2.0 or greater, perform a bugscrub of postponed and enhancement bugs with development and quality assurance teams.
1.1.18. Get updated info from technical support on call/e-mail/IM volumes and top issues.
1.1.19. Work with usability engineering to develop usability pre-requisites (user profile, usability goals, task inventory and task scenarios).
1.2. Deliverables
1.2.1. Complete Product Requirements Document
1.2.2. Updated worldwide competitive analysis
1.2.3. Updated team portfolio
2. concept phase
2.1. Activities
2.1.1. Work with project team to develop product vision (idea, goal and scope).
2.1.2. Work with project team to update and/or create a technology plan.
2.1.3. Develop and begin research plans for domestic and international markets.
2.1.4. Analyze competition
2.1.5. Determine two largest markets outside the U.S.
2.1.6. If v2.0 or greater, consider usability testing on current product.
2.2. Deliverables
2.2.1. Product Requirements Document (sections on product goal and scope, and international markets)
2.2.2. Preliminary market overview
2.2.3. New or updated technology plan
2.2.4. Initial competitive analysis
2.2.5. Preliminary projected product revenue
2.2.6. Team portfolio
3. definition phase
3.1. Activities
3.1.1. Update Product Requirements Document.
3.1.2. Create project milestone schedule.
3.1.3. Focus and drive the project team through this phase.
3.1.4. Work with engineering team on feature development and plans.
3.1.5. Review functional specification and all departmental plans and schedules.
3.1.6. Decide on third-party software and work through business arrangements and delivery schedule.
3.1.7. Schedule deliverables with other company groups who will be producing software.
3.1.8. Review user interface plans and participate in usability evaluations.
3.1.9. Continue meeting with project team.
3.1.10. Work with localization team in determining costs of those languages identified by the product group at the feature set checkpoint.
3.1.11. Determine commitment to localized versions.
3.1.12. Schedule those localized versions with the localization team.
3.1.13. Conduct all pricing research analysis.
3.1.14. Prepare pricing proposal and present to pricing committee for approval.
3.1.15. Identify probable length of sales cycle (technical support will need this for planning purposes).
3.1.16. Identify OEM potential.
3.1.17. Supply technical support with initial revenue and unit forecasts (divided by sales region).
3.1.18. Work with the project team to determine dates for alpha, beta and ship-to-manufacturing.
3.2. Deliverables
3.2.1. Updated Product Requirements Document
3.2.2. Project milestone schedule
3.2.3. Third-party technology delivery schedule
3.2.4. Pricing proposal (that has been presented to the pricing committee).
3.2.5. Acquisitions business plan (if applicable)
3.2.6. Marketing/launch plan (first draft)
4. build phase
4.1. Activities
4.1.1. Submit commit dates to the Plan of Record.
4.1.2. Update Product Requirements Document as needed.
4.1.3. Maintain an updated project milestone schedule.
4.1.4. Focus and drive the project team through this phase.
4.1.5. Update revenue projections and/or forecasts.
4.1.6. Continue working with other company groups that will be producing software, testing and/or documentation for this product.
4.1.7. Work with development and quality assurance teams in scrubbing the bug database.
4.1.8. Work with project team to determine artwork requirements.
4.1.9. Ensure that artwork is progressing on the project.
4.1.10. Continue meetings with project team.
4.1.11. Resolve any outstanding pricing issues and re-present to the pricing committee.
4.1.12. Drive public relations plan.
4.1.13. Work with marcom on required marketing research and marketing launch plan.
4.1.14. Work with quality assurance, external test, and international product engineering on identifying external test sites and customers for worldwide test partner program.
4.2. Deliverables
4.2.1. Updated Product Requirements Document
4.2.2. Updated project milestone schedule
4.2.3. Updated revenue forecasts
4.2.4. Finalized pricing proposal (with all changes and issues approved by the pricing committee)
4.2.5. Updated acquisitions business plan (if applicable)
4.2.6. Updated marketing/launch plan (second draft)
5. test phase
5.1. Activities
5.1.1. Ensure Plan of Record reflects current project dates and phase.
5.1.2. Update plans as needed.
5.1.3. Update project milestone schedule.
5.1.4. Focus and drive the project team through this phase.
5.1.5. Continue working with other company groups that will be producing software, testing and/or documentation for this product.
5.1.6. Work with development and quality assurance teams in scrubbing the bug database and reviewing postponed bugs.
5.1.7. Ensure that all artwork is completed by beta (or that a schedule for final artwork is in place).
5.1.8. Continue meetings with project team.
5.1.9. Monitor team's condition.
5.1.10. Prepare for external test.
5.1.11. Monitor external test results.
5.1.12. Prepare for mastering and shipping.
5.1.13. Work with marcom on all collateral (e.g. branding elements, website, box copy, fact sheets, ad copy, white papers, testimonials, success stories, upgrade mailing (post and e-mail), CD sleeve, etc.).
5.1.14. Prepare information for manufacturing readiness review.
5.1.15. Meet with training/education team to discuss training materials, collateral for VARs, and changes to the program to include this product.
5.1.16. Prepare a sales resource guide.
5.1.17. Work with quality assurance team in preparing for company-wide testing (internal beta).
5.1.18. Alert technical support of any OEM deals.
5.2. Deliverables
5.2.1. Updated Product Requirements Document (if necessary)
5.2.2. Updated project milestone schedule
5.2.3. Schedule for final artwork (if artwork is not complete)
5.2.4. Features benefit list
5.2.5. Updated competitive matrix
5.2.6. Sales resource guide
5.2.7. Draft versions of all marketing collateral (e.g. branding elements, website, box copy, fact sheets, ad copy, white papers, testimonials, success stories, upgrade mailing (post and e-mail), CD sleeve, etc.)
5.2.8. Completion of manufacturing readiness review
5.2.9. Marketing/launch plan (final)
6. launch phase
6.1. Activities
6.1.1. Ensure Plan of Record reflects current project dates and phase.
6.1.2. Update project milestone schedule.
6.1.3. Focus and drive the project team through this phase.
6.1.4. Monitor team's condition.
6.1.5. Review schedule for completion of localized versions.
6.1.6. Complete plans for training (sales, channels, marcom, executives, technical support, etc.).
6.1.7. Participate in training exercises (if necessary).
6.1.8. Participate in press/analyst tour.
6.1.9. Participate in launch activities (e.g. webinars, trade shows, conferences, key customer visits, etc.).
6.1.10. Work with marcom to finalize all marketing collateral (e.g. branding elements, website, box copy, fact sheets, ad copy, white papers, testimonials, success stories, upgrade mailing (post and e-mail), CD sleeve, etc.).
6.1.11. Review scrubbed bugs with development and quality assurance teams.
6.1.12. Review and test product.
6.1.13. Prepare materials for executive review package.
6.1.14. Review release notes/readme file.
6.1.15. Review EULA.
6.1.16. Hold meetings with project team (as required).
6.1.17. Plan postpartum meeting.
6.1.18. Plan launch party.
6.2. Deliverables
6.2.1. Updated Product Requirements Document (if necessary)
6.2.2. Updated marketing/launch plan (if necessary)
6.2.3. Updated project milestone schedule
6.2.4. Final versions of all marketing collateral (e.g. branding elements, website, box copy, fact sheets, ad copy, white papers, testimonials, success stories, upgrade mailing (post and e-mail), CD sleeve, etc.)
6.2.5. Completed sales tools
6.2.6. Statement of purpose for executive review package
6.2.7. Completed executive review checklist
6.2.8. Launch party/celebration