Every successful product is created by a strong product development lifecycle. Turning a simple idea into a finished product requires a clear process called product development, which gets the final product to customers.
To create an efficient and customer-loving product, it is important to know the stages of product development and apply the right methods in every stage. Today, this guide will explain each stage of the product development lifecycle, share useful tips, and show how to use your resources to build the best products possible.
Product Development Lifecycle – Key Takeaways
- The PDLC consists of seven key stages: Idea Generation, Concept Development, Prototyping, Testing, Building the Product, Launching the Product, and Post-Launch Improvement. Each stage plays a critical role in transforming a concept into a successful product.
- Apple Inc. followed the PDLC model for its iPhone development, from identifying market needs and creating prototypes to launching the product and gathering user feedback for future improvements.
- Product development continues after the product hits the market. Ongoing user feedback is crucial for long-term product success and market relevance.
What Is The Product Development Lifecycle?
The product development lifecycle is the process of turning an idea into a real product and bringing it to market. It starts with brainstorming the idea and goes through designing, developing, testing, and finally releasing the product. Many people work together during this cycle, including product managers, developers, designers, and QA engineers. Each person has a specific role in making sure the product is built, tested, and ready for customers.
What Is The Product Development Lifecycle?
Every business have different definition of the product development lifecycle. Different businesses have their own ideas about how many stages product development lifecycle includes. Even when companies agree on the number of stages, they often have different views on where one stage ends and another begins.
Another common disagreement is whether the cycle stops at product launch or continues beyond it. Some companies think it ends once the product is released. Others, like Product Plan, believe the cycle goes beyond launch and includes ongoing improvements to the product.
Here, we will explain what we consider the seven main stages of the product development lifecycle. You can use these steps as a reference to create your own product development plan.
Stage 1: Developing The Idea
The very first stage of the product development lifecycle is the brainstorming stage. Here, the product team thinks of different ways to solve problems for their target users. They come up with multiple product ideas and note them all down.
Stage 2: Choosing the Best Idea Among All
After brainstorming stage, the product development lifecycle team will have many product ideas. The next step is to narrow it down to one product or feature that is worth developing. To do this, they can rate each idea based on a set of criteria. For example, they can use a scoring system to evaluate which idea is the most promising.
The team can also validate ideas by talking to potential customers. Since these people are likely to buy the product, their feedback is very important in choosing the right idea to pursue.
Stage 3: Build a Prototype
If the idea is related to building software, the designing team and engineering team can start by creating a simple prototype of the application. They might even just make a wireframe, which is a basic outline of the app’s layout.
If the company makes physical products, they should build a physical prototype. This prototype can be given to a small group of customers or a focus group to get their feedback and analyze the results based on that.
Stage 4: Create the Messaging
While the prototype is being built, the product team will work with the marketing agency to develop a market strategy for the product. This includes:
- Defining the product’s value proposition, or what makes it special.
- Creating sales tools and materials for the sales team.
- Planning marketing and advertising campaigns.
The digital marketing agency can start working on multiple parameters at the same time the prototype is being developed. However, the product team should share feedback from the focus group with marketing as soon as they can. For instance, they should tell marketing what features early users liked the most about the product.
Stage 5: Build the Product
After getting feedback from focus groups about the prototype, the team is ready to create a minimum viable product (MVP). This MVP doesn’t need to have all the features planned during brainstorming. The goal is to develop a working version of the product quickly. By getting the MVP into users’ hands sooner, the company can collect valuable feedback to make improvements.
Stage 6: Release the Product
Once the MVP is developed and tested, the company can launch it to the public. The MVP will help the team to learn several important things, including:
- How interested the market is in the product and whether this interest matches initial research.
- The types of users signing up for the product and if they match the team’s expectations.
- How real users respond to the product and if their reactions align with what the team thought would happen.
By this time, the marketing team has likely been working on a campaign to generate excitement, and the sales team has probably informed potential customers about the upcoming launch.
Stage 7: Improve the Product
Finally, the product team will gather feedback from early users to make the product better. They will analyze this user data and may go back to earlier stages to make changes. For example, they might return to Stage 5 to add new features or fix problems, then move to Stage 6 to release the updated product and check the feedback again. This process shows that product development doesn’t stop once the product is launched; teams should keep improving their products even after they are available to the public.
Product Development Lifecycle Examples
Let us take Apple Inc. as Product development life cycle examples to illustrate the Product Development Lifecycle (PDLC) through its development of the iPhone.
1. Idea Generation
Apple identified the need for a multifunctional device that combined a mobile phone, music player, and internet browser. The idea came from observing the market trends toward smartphones and the growing popularity of touchscreen interfaces.
2. Concept Development
The concept for the iPhone was refined by brainstorming sessions involving designers and engineers. They focused on user experience, including the importance of a simple interface and integration with iTunes, which would allow users to manage their music easily.
3. Prototyping
Apple created multiple rapid prototypes and high fidelity wireframes of the iPhone. These included various designs and hardware configurations. Prototypes allowed teams to test different touchscreen technologies, sizes, and layouts to find the most user-friendly and aesthetically pleasing design.
4. Testing
Apple conducted extensive testing of the iPhone prototypes with internal staff and selected external users. This included usability testing and manual testing to gather feedback on the touchscreen interface, battery life, and the functionality of features like Safari and the App Store.
5. Building the Product
After refining the design based on testing feedback, Apple began mass production of the iPhone. They worked closely with suppliers to ensure high-quality components and established manufacturing processes that could scale to meet anticipated demand.
6. Launching the Product
The iPhone was officially launched on June 29, 2007, with a high-profile marketing campaign. Apple organized launch events, demonstrations, and strategic partnerships with carriers to promote the device. The launch created significant buzz and excitement, leading to long lines at stores.
7. Post-Launch Review and Improvement
After the launch, Apple collected user feedback and monitored sales data to identify areas for improvement. Based on this feedback, they released software updates and subsequent iPhone models, enhancing features like camera quality, battery life, and overall performance.
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Product Development Lifecycle FAQs
Why is the Product Development Lifecycle important?
The Product Development Lifecycle (PDLC) is important because it helps teams systematically approach product development. It ensures that products are well-planned, tested, and refined before reaching the market, reducing risks and increasing the chances of success.
What are the main stages of the Product Development Lifecycle?
The main stages of the PDLC typically include:
Idea Generation
Concept Development
Prototyping
Testing
Building the Product
Launching the Product
Post-Launch Review and Improvement
How long does the Product Development Lifecycle take?
The duration of the Product Development Lifecycle can vary significantly depending on the complexity of the product, the resources available, and the industry. It can range from a few months to several years.
