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Project Management - Product Description

By Lasa Information Systems Team

While the Project Definition Document provides an overview of the project, it is necessary to go into more detail about the key deliverables – the things that the project will produce. A Product Description is used to do this, spelling out the purpose of the product, details of what it will consist of, and set quality criteria.

The “product” may be a tangible thing like a printed publication or a website, or it may be a less concrete entity such as a training course or some form of service.

The Product Description is a separate document from the Project Initiation Document.

The Product Description will go into more detail: for example, the Product Description for a publication will describe its content, the different sections, its format etc. The two documents have different purposes - the Product Description should be able to stand alone.

A Product Description will also be used to provide the basis for an Invitation to Tender document.

Product Description template

1. Introduction
2. Purpose of the product
3. Scope of the product
4. Details of the product
5. Delivery of the product
6. Quality criteria
7. Review process

Next Section: Invitation to Tender document or Download the whole Project Management Guide (PDF, 676Kb)