Every business wants a successful product launch. They work very hard in the hope that happens. Unfortunately, hard work alone isn't enough. You need a structured approach to launching a product. That structure is a product launch framework.
Many parts of an organization use frameworks. There are frameworks for developing products. There are frameworks for selling. There are frameworks for conducting marketing campaigns. So, what is a framework?
A framework is a conceptual structure. The word is a combination of frame - as in framing a house or barn. And work - as in getting things done. A framework provides structure and direction without being too prescriptive. They give you room to think and adapt to different situations so you can make the best possible decisions.
A product launch framework is different than a product launch checklist in the degree of prescription. A checklist has a specific set of tasks or deliverables. Some checklists have ordered activities, and some do not. The point is that a checklist has a specific set of things to do, regardless of the situation. That's what can get you into trouble.
Think of a checklist like you would a recipe. You use the list of ingredients and follow the order of operations. Add this, saute that, mince this, fold that. No matter the situation, the recipe is made the same way and should produce consistent results.
Think of a framework as using the same ingredients but combining them differently depending on the situation.
Launching a new product is different from launching an existing product into a new market. It requires different approaches.
Launching a new version of a current product differs from re-launching a product to revitalize it. It requires different approaches.
The ingredients are the same, but the situations are vastly different.
Frameworks and checklists are not mutually exclusive. You can combine both successfully.
A checklist is a good tool for anything with little variability, like a minor software upgrade with bug fixes (or an Italian Vinaigrette). A framework for this situation is not necessary. A checklist is a poor choice when launching a new product into a new market because many unknowns exist. In this situation, a framework is a better choice.
