How do you know when a product is ready for launch?
Product Management
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As a product manager, you are responsible for shepherding a product through its entire lifecycle, from ideation to launch and beyond. But how do you know when a product is actually ready to launch? There is no one-size-fits-all answer to this question, as the readiness of a product will depend on a number of factors, including the type of product, the market and the resources available. However, there are a few key signs that can help you determine whether a product is ready for launch.
1. The product meets the defined requirements.
Before a product can be launched, it must first meet the requirements that have been set by stakeholders. This includes everything from the basic functionality of the product to more specific requirements like performance, security and compliance.
2. The product has been thoroughly tested.
Once a product meets its requirements, it must then be put through its paces with thorough testing. This testing should cover all aspects of the product, including functionality, performance, usability and security. Ideally, a product should be tested by both internal and external users. Internal testers are typically members of the development team, while external testers are typically customers or potential customers.
“I prefer testing directly with consumers rather than debating the merits of solutions in a lab. Let real-world customers tell us if we are onto something.”
— Jonah Staw has been the president of music at Logitech for the past five years. He holds over 20 years of experience in product, marketing and executive leadership.?
3. The product has been verified by its stakeholders.?
The verification process is critical to ensuring a product meets its stakeholders' expectations. This typically includes a review of the product's documentation, as well as a demonstration of its functionality.
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“Looking internally within your organization, your company is … full of stakeholders that you must convene and convince to help your product succeed. There will be many people helping your product succeed, but there will be others that lurk along the way that slow things down and get in the way of your product meeting its goals. If you identify your stakeholders … you'll be able to strategize the best ways to communicate, collaborate and launch your product with support, rather than friction.”
— Karen Tudhope is the principal innovation lead at Atlassian and a LinkedIn Learning Expert. She holds over 20 years of experience in entrepreneurship and is currently a mentor for the Stanford Latino Entrepreneur Leaders Program.
4. The product has been approved by the legal, marketing and finance teams.
Before launching, a product should be approved by the legal team to ensure that it does not infringe on any intellectual property rights or violate any laws or regulations. The marketing team should also have a plan in place to showcase the product to the public. And the finance team should sign off as well, confirming that the product is financially viable and the necessary resources are in place to support its performance.
5. The product has been signed off by the CEO or another key executive.
An executive’s stamp of approval is usually the final step in ensuring that a product is ready for launch. As a product manager, you should confirm who the final checkpoint is for your product within your organization. The executive will be able to offer final feedback, make judgment calls and confirm that the product fulfills its intended purpose. They will also be able to confirm with key executive leaders throughout other teams that there are no missing components before the launch.?
These are just a few of the steps product managers should take to make sure that their product is ready for launch. Because each product is unique, you may need additional buy-in from other departments and team members.
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How this article was made: An AI generated an initial answer to the question addressed in this article. The response was then fact checked, corrected, and amended by editor Felicia Hou . Any errors or additions? Please let us know in the comments.
Product, Marketing, US GTM Business Leader, & Content Machine ?? Certified in O&P Business Management & Clinical Practice Management??Founder of Calibration Marketing LLC
2 年I think all of these points are spot on. However, the first step should be always to identify the need. Is this product even necessary? What does the competition look like and what does it offer? Do all the business leaders agree that this is the next thing that should be focused on? If you are a global organization, will all teams work on the same version or will there be different versions? How does your product compare and how will it benefit the user and customer, as the two may not always be one and the same. Are there things like insurance involved then how what do you need to keep in mind in those cases? If the need is truly there and you build the needed product/solution that meets the need then you need to ensure that not only great engineers and designers are involved but also those from the industry have had a say. A great engineer can make anything, but will it truly stack up to that initially identified need, and will it compare to the competition and then surpass it in certain areas? The position & pricing has to be collaborated on with sales & a suitable margin needs to be agreed upon. Lastly, post sale support. How will that look? It all seems easy, but you need to ensure you've got a plan from A to Z.