Product Based Planning is a key feature of Prince2, providing a focus on the products to be delivered and their quality. It forms an integral part of the Planning process and leads into the use of other generic planning techniques such as network planning and Gantt charts. Plans are produced in the planning process using this technique.
There are three elements to the Product Based Planning approach.
The first is the Product Breakdown Structure (PBS). This is a deliverable oriented, heirarchical structure (which is often termed a Work Breakdown Structure in non-Prince2 projects) which seeks to define the entire scope of the project as a set of products.
The second element is the Product Description, which specifies a product in the PBS. This Product Description dcescribes not just the deliverable, but also the quality criteria and method by which it will be accepted. The Product Description is a key feature of the quality approach in a Prince2 project.
The third element, the Product Flow Diagram shows the sequence of development of the Products in the PBS, helping to ensure that all items are identified in the scope and assisting in the development of project, stage and activity plans. (For those not familiar with Prince2, it is an intermediate step between Work Breakdown Structure and Activity Networking in an overall planning process).
