Product Document

Description

 

Product Document Template

In multiple ways, documentation compliments the product by generating more sales. It will provide product features and how they can solve customer issues and take the product strategy to the next level.

A product document template is used to document all required information related to the merchandise, making people understand what exactly the merchandise is and how it can complement the product from the utility point of view. PRD is the short form of a product document template, illustrating its characteristics and what it should do.

 

What is a Product Document?

PRD is the documentation that makes people understand the product requirements in a single place. In placing all the related information in a single location, people searching for the product information and features should not have to scan on various pages.

The Contents of a Product Document

The product document’s contents are vital to systematically understanding the product-related information. It should have all the information in a sequence, which is easy for the clients to understand. Documenting the information in sequence will benefit the customer because it reflects accurate information about the product. It will also have the advantages and disadvantages appropriately written, which can support sales, and marketing.

Building A Product Document

Building a document template is imperative for releasing the merchandise to the audience. While preparing the wireframe, draft an image PRD to communicate the building plan to structure the design. These documents will work as a tool to help customers use the merchandise and help them to sort out any flaws during the operation. Therefore, documentation is inevitable.

Mainly there are three types of documentation, and they are as follows:

1. Print or electronic version of the documentation.
2. Online documentation.
3. Software-linked documentation.

While building a document template, the focus must be on the following details.

• Target the audience

While developing the document template, you must know the audience for who you want to create the document. So, the document template may vary according to the user. Your approach to an end user and administrator will be different. You can focus on the daily end-user guide for the end-user template. But in the case of an administrator/head product YouTube, your focus must be on configuration instructions or unique one-time tasks.

• Simplify the documentation

The documentation must be simple but engaging to the subject’s core. If you want to introduce how to start the application, stay limited to the starting operation process rather than providing all technical information. By reading the start instruction, the client must be able to start the gadget/application.

• Consider using diagrams

Include diagrams or screenshots with descriptions to communicate the required information. Include a workflow and provide pictures to make the client understand how different parts engage in their respective fields. Also, write/record notes on the picture to make the process more informative.

• No client reads product documentation-Be realistic.

It is a fact that clients rarely read the documentation. They will refer to the documentation if they face unresolved problems. Provide bite-sized troubleshooting bits, which can resolve the issue quickly and help them to resume working. Also, provide a detailed table of contents with proper indexation so that the client can search for the information quickly.

What Should a Product Document Template Contain?

The following information is vital in a product document template.

• Title: It denotes the exact name of the merchandise template.
• History of changes: This template section will provide detailed information on the changes made to the PRD template and the people responsible for making the changes. Also, this section will have the date and time of the changes and what is incorporated in the PRD template.
• Overview: Here, in the template, you can make provisions for the project objectives and the use.
• Success Metrics: This part of the template will give key performance details and the metrics used to accomplish the project goals.
• Market campaign messages: Here, in the template, you can describe the marketing messages and how it is being introduced to the customers.
• Timeline and release planning: In this section of the template, you offer provisions to write a concise timeline of the merchandise launching and marketing planning.
• Target customers: This section of the template will identify the targeted customers with some note key information.
• User circumstances: This section of the template will explain the user scenarios and under what circumstances a prospective customer will use it.
• User feedback: In this section, the documentation will explain why and how customer feedback helped to make the changes.
• Features not changed:  You can read the reason for not providing any changes here.
• Design details: This section will have detailed graphics or drawings, links to the original design details, and information about the availability of original drawings.
• Persisting issues:  It allows the customers to investigate the problems, and customers can share the feedback because the company is still looking for feedback to make the necessary changes and alterations. You can also make provisions for comments unknown, which may also help to make changes.
• FAQ:  The FAQ section will let you understand the common questions and answers. It will allow the customers to find solutions rather than contact the company for solutions.
• General information: In this section, the product template user can write down the decisions that led to the removal or include the project’s scope.

How Does the Product Document Work?

The product documentation helps to add more value. It helps the customer to understand the usage of the product.

The documentation helps the customer to utilize the product effectively using all its features. It helps to unlock the power of the merchandise to its full potential. It will also help to give a deep understanding of various methods to use the product. As a result, the documentation helps unlock the products’ potential to its maximum limit.

When a customer knows more about its utilities, it will add confidence and stick with the particular brand and model. Professionally drafted documentation can increase the confidence of the customer. The documentation will help the user to understand its quality.

Detailed documentation will help to increase sales. It will increase the trust quotient of the customer, and positive feedback will help to win more customers. Product school and product YouTube will also help people learn more about the systematic documentation process.

A meticulously drafted document illustrates the business’s professionalism. Rarely does a customer read all the documentation until they find it challenging to solve a problem with the merchandise. Professionally drafted documentation will help to solve any nagging issues.

The Structure of a Product Document

A good structure of a document must be as simple as possible and should not have more than one page. You should add only what is necessary for the customers. Too much information and lengthy documents spread over pages will kill the product document’s intent. Similarly, if the document is too small, it will not serve its purpose, as it will not include all the vital information that must be there on the document. Therefore, the following information must be included in the document’s structure.

The structure of a PRD usually starts with a title, and it will reflect the name of the project, project code, if any, name of the company, department, name of responsible person/s, date, and release version number.

The introduction part must describe the reason for the project development and the context of the product. You must write the product development objective success in the body along with the aim of the development. It must also have Key Performance Indicators, success metrics, and the time frame to complete the project.

Following the above information, the PRD must include the requirements’ sources. It must consist of the market feedback, suggestions, and recommendations that prompted the redesign.

The PRD structure can summarize as follows:

 

Title:

• Project name
• Project code
• Product Manager/Responsible people
• Date
•  Document PRD release version

 

Introduction:

• Summarized reason
• User requirements or problems

 

Objectives:

• Vision
• Outline objective
• Positioning

 

Stakeholders:

• Customers
• Purchasers
• Manufacturers
• Customer service
• Sales team
• External Partners
• Regulatory body
• Retailers
• Etc.

 

Feedback information:

• Placeholder comments 1
• Placeholder comments 2

 

Aspects:

• Materials/Hardware
• Software
• Design/drawing
• User Experience/Feedback
• Interactivity/communication
• Customization
• Manufacturing
• Regulations
• Etc.

 

Questions/FAQ:

• Questions received from the customer
• Questions received from unknown sources
• FAQ answered with solutions

 

Milestones:

• Tentative date of release

 

Resources:

• Source details of the information
• Resources used for modification

 

Appendices/Annexations:

• User license details

 

Glossary:

• Terms explained

Why Do You Need a Product Document?

Documentation is essential to prepare the merchandise to get ready for release. It will help customers use it correctly and troubleshoot issues if anything arises. Even though the documentation may vary according to the type of merchandise, it is a binding document to use the merchandise efficiently.

Conclusion:

PRD is integral to project renovation, redesign, or development documentation. While developing a PRD template, it must cover all the relevant information in a simple format, without any assumptions that customers would read it, even for academic purposes, unless there is a personal product issue. Therefore, make the documentation as simple as possible with relevant information.

How to use:

• Fill in details about your goals and objectives
• Include details about the product release
• Describe different features and their purposes
• Attach designs, wireframes, and other images
• Track your performance with milestones