Question: Can you please let me know the differences between a project and a product. I mean what is the difference in writing for a product and a project from a TWs perspective?
Possible Answer:
Broad Definitions: Project: A project is a unique endeavor of finite duration whose final outcome is known (or is at least identified to some extent). In that sense, no project can be exactly same as another, because the time, resources and objectives will differ.
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Product: It is an object which fulfills certain requirements of the user. (The requirements could be physical, emotional and so on..)
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At the conceptual level products and projects can not be compared. Now let's take a look at how we encounter these concepts in our careers as Technical Writers. Though product is not a project in itself, following can be considered as projects. * Developing the product * Marketing the product * Redesigning the product (and so on)
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Let's take an example: Company ABC can give "Developing software application for resource management" as a project to Company XYZ. Let's call this 'software application for resource management' as 'RMG'.
-- For Company ABC 'RMG' is a product. For Company XYZ 'Developing RMG' is a project.
-- - Since XYZ will be developing this product, ABC they will create a set of documents that will tell XYZ the concept of Resource Management and the required features of RMG product. Let's call these documents as "Document Category 1" or DC 1.
- While developing RMG, XYZ will develop a set of documents. Some of them will be related to RMG itself, like User Guide, Help File and so on. They are DC 2. Some of these documents will be related to managing development of RMG and not RMG itself. For example, project status report, resource allocation chart, and so on. These are internal to company XYZ. Let's call such documents as DC 3.
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DC 1 - System Requirements Specifications, Requests for Proposal, Development Agreement (Contract), Development Plan and so on. These are the Contract Related Documents. --
DC 2 - User Guide, Online Help, Training Material, Test Cases, Release Notes and so on. These are the Product Related Documents -
DC 3 - Project Status Report, Resource Allocation Document, PERT Chart and so on. These are the Project Related Documents.
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Notes: * In addition to those mentioned above, there could be many other documents created by ABC and XYZ, depending on the complexity of the product, duration of contract, terms of contract and many other factors. * Some documents could be a combination of the above categories. For example, Bug Report could be classified under DC 2 and well as DC 3.
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Some Advanced Concepts: * Managing a product over its complete life cycle is extremely difficult. 'Project-izing' various stages of the product can simply its management. However this process has some inherent drawbacks (their discussion is beyond the scope of this mail). * Now-a-days, services are also being 'product-ized' or 'project-ised'. For example, insurance is now sold in the form of "Personal Insurance Products" or credit is sold in the form of "Credit Card". This approach too has many drawbacks.
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P. S. Project Management is a highly specialized area and there is lot to read about it. (Check out the Project Management Institute web site. They could be having the previous version of their book available for download.
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