# Product Development Template: Stages From Idea to Launch > Use this product development template to standardize ideation, definition, design, testing, and launch. Customize it in Asana to align your teams.. Source: https://asana.com/templates/product-development.md - [Create your template](https://app.asana.com/-/product_templates) - [Project views](/features/project-management/project-views) - [Projects](/features/project-management/projects) - [JIRA Cloud](/apps/jiracloud) - [Figma](/apps/figma) - [Loom](/apps/loom) templates Product management Product development Create and use a product development template to standardize your process, from idea all the way to market. Product management Design Creative production Agile management Software development ## Product Development Template Standardize each stage of product development so your team is aligned, moves faster, and ships without the usual confusion and extra work. ### Simplify product development with Asana - [Sign up](/create-account) #### Summary A product development template is a reusable framework that helps organize each step of your workflow, from brainstorming ideas to launching the final product. It keeps teams on the same page and working efficiently. In this article, you’ll learn what a product development template is, why it’s useful, which stages to include, and how to use one with a project management tool like Asana.Product development involves working with many teams and stakeholders, but it doesn't need to feel overwhelming. Using a custom product development template lets you standardize each stage, from brainstorming to launch, so your team stays organized and on track. In this article, you'll find out what a product development template is, why it's useful, and how to create and use one successfully. ## What is a product development template? A product development template is a reusable resource that outlines every stage of your product development process, from ideation through launch. Created and maintained by the [product manager](/resources/product-manager-vs-project-manager), it gives cross-functional teams a standardized set of steps to follow so nothing falls through the cracks. Templates help prevent confusion and mistakes by making sure everyone, no matter their department, follows the same process. For example, you can add important steps like getting approval for a prototype right into the template, so nothing is forgotten. The result is a consistent roadmap that keeps your [deliverables](/resources/what-are-project-deliverables) aligned across projects and product teams. ### What is product development? [Product development](/resources/product-development-process) is the process for developing a new product. It follows the entire product development lifecycle, from that initial [brainstorming](/resources/brainstorming-techniques) session all the way to market launch. Usually, the process follows six steps: - Ideation - Product definition - Prototyping - Design - Testing - Product launch ## Why you need a product development template Releasing a product can be complicated and take a lot of time, especially in bigger companies. A digital product development template helps your team focus on each task at every stage, so they don't feel overwhelmed or lose track of the main goal. - [Free product development template](https://asana.com/templates/product-development) Here are the key benefits of using a product development template: - **Streamline your workflows:** With a standard template, your team has a ready-to-use plan for every product project. You don't have to start from scratch each time—just copy the template and get started. This cuts down on busywork, so you spend less time organizing and more time developing. - **Align**[cross-functional teams](/resources/cross-functional-collaboration)**:** Digital templates ensure that all tasks, including cross-functional ones, are captured. That way, no matter which cross-functional stakeholders are involved in the product development process (even those without product development experience), they don't miss any critical steps. - **Improve**[visibility](/resources/asana-tips-improve-visibility)**:** When your entire workflow lives in a [work management tool](/product), every stakeholder can see progress in real time. Connect integrations and [workflows](/resources/workflow-examples) into one space, so instead of hunting for the latest [Figma](/apps/figma) file, you can link it directly to the product development project. - **Enhance**[strategic planning](/resources/strategic-planning)**:** A well-built template helps you see the big picture. By mapping every stage from ideation to launch, you can spot dependencies, allocate resources, and plan ahead with confidence. - **Customize your workflow:** Build your template in a project management tool to rotate between views (such as [Kanban boards](/resources/what-is-kanban), [Gantt charts](/resources/gantt-chart-basics), and lists) to experiment with how your team works best. Include the sections in your template that are most relevant to you, and skip unnecessary steps that don't work in your company or industry. ## What are the stages of product development? Product development can have four, five, six, or even seven stages, depending on the model your team uses and how detailed you want to be. Here’s a quick look at the most common models: - **4-stage model:** Ideation, planning, development, launch — best for a high-level view - **5-stage model:** Ideation, planning, development, testing, launch — best when testing needs its own phase - **6-stage model:** Ideation, product definition, prototyping, design, testing, launch — best for added structure without complexity - **7-stage model:** Ideation, research, planning, prototyping, design, testing, launch — best when research and review are separate steps The main activities are similar in all models. The difference is in how you organize and name each stage. In this article, we use the six-stage model, but you can adjust it to fit your company’s workflow. ## 6 sections to include in your product development template Your template should reflect how your team and company move through the product development process. It will likely link out to other workflows to keep all related projects connected. If you're a startup or you haven't defined your process yet, one way to structure your template is with a [process map](/templates/process-map) around the six stages of product development. ### Section 1: Ideation This is the stage for brainstorming, being creative, and thinking about new possibilities. When using your template, link these items to this section: - [Brainstorming sessions](/resources/brainstorming-techniques) to capture new ideas - [User stories](/resources/user-stories) to ground ideas in real customer needs - A [product backlog](/resources/product-backlog) to prioritize what moves forward - Metrics on product/market fit to inform your product strategy ### Section 2: Product definition This is where you define your [project planning](/resources/project-management-plan) when you use your template. Connect your business analysis, [project scope](/resources/project-scope), and the marketing strategy for when your product's new features are ready to [go to market](/resources/go-to-market-gtm-strategy). ### Section 3: Prototyping This section should include your [workflow diagram](/resources/workflow-diagram) for prototyping. In your template, add space to attach a [feasibility analysis](/resources/feasibility-study), example use cases, and product requirements so developers can quickly and easily get to work. ### Section 4: Design Design is where you bring your product vision to life. Make this part of your template inclusive, so stakeholders stay in the loop on design updates and decisions. Where applicable, note which tasks are [dependent](/resources/project-dependencies) on other initiatives to help team members stick to deadlines. ### Section 5: Testing Testing is a detailed process that often involves its own teams and tasks. Including this section in your template makes sure all stakeholders can access the testing data. ### Section 6: Product launch The final piece of your template should be all about [product launch](/resources/product-launch) strategies and retrospectives for the future. ## How to use a product development template Having a template is helpful, but using it effectively is even better. Here’s a step-by-step guide to putting your product development template to work: - **Customize the template for your team.** Review each section and change it to fit your team’s real workflow. Take out steps that don’t fit your product or industry, and add any that are unique to your process. - **Assign owners to each stage.** For every section in your template, pick someone to be responsible. This keeps everyone accountable and avoids confusion about who does what. - **Add task dependencies.** Link tasks that depend on each other so your team knows what needs to be done before moving to the next step. This is especially helpful for teams like design and engineering that work together. - **Set milestones and deadlines.** Use milestones to highlight key points, like finishing a prototype or getting approval. Add deadlines to help your team stay on track at every stage. - **Connect your tools.** Link your template to the tools your team already uses, such as Figma for design files or Jira for engineering tickets, so everything is in one place. - **Duplicate for each new product.** After your template is ready, copy it for every new product project. This saves you from repeating planning steps and lets you start building right away. - **Review and refine.** After each product launch, review what worked and what didn't. Update your template based on what you learned so it supports [process improvement](/resources/process-improvement-methodologies) over time. ## Integrated features - [List View](https://help.asana.com/s/article/list-view?language=en_US). A grid-style view that displays all of your tasks at once, including titles, due dates, and custom fields like priority or status. Give your entire team visibility into who's doing what by when. - [Board View](https://help.asana.com/s/article/board-view?language=en_US). A Kanban board-style view that organizes your project information in columns by work status, like To Do, Doing, and Done. Track work as it moves through stages and get an at-a-glance insight into where your project stands. - [Timeline View](/features/project-management/project-views). A Gantt-style project view that displays all tasks in a horizontal bar chart, showing start dates, end dates, and dependencies. Identify and address dependency conflicts before they start so you can hit your goals on schedule. - [Milestones](https://help.asana.com/s/?language=en_US). Important project checkpoints that let your team and stakeholders know how you're pacing towards your goal. Use them to celebrate the small wins on the path to a successful launch. ## Recommended apps - [Jira](/apps/jiracloud). Create connected workflows between technical and business teams and quickly create Jira issues from within Asana. Work passes seamlessly between teams at the right time, all without leaving the platform. - [Figma](/apps/figma). Embed design files directly in Asana, so your team can reference the latest wireframes, prototypes, and UI mocks alongside project documents. Live embeds update in real time, so you never have to hunt for the right file. - [Loom](/apps/loom). Embed Loom videos in your Project Overview to explain your project, set expectations, and highlight key milestones. Your team can watch them without leaving Asana, which helps them get up to speed faster. ## Get started with your product development template A strong product development template helps you move from idea to market with less friction and more clarity. Standardize your stages, assign clear owners, and connect the tools your team already uses so you can focus on building products your customers love. [Get started](/create-account) with Asana to build a template your whole team can use, customize, and improve with every launch. ## Frequently asked questions about product development templates #### How do you create a product development template? Start by outlining the key stages of your workflow, such as ideation, design, and launch, then build each one as a section in your project management tool. Add task dependencies, milestones, and team assignments to automate and standardize the process. #### What's the difference between 4, 5, 6, and 7 stages of product development? All models cover the same core activities; the difference is how granularly your team breaks them down. A four-stage model is high-level, while a seven-stage model adds dedicated steps for research and post-launch review. #### How do you write a product development plan? Define your product goals and target audience, then outline the stages, tasks, owners, timelines, and deliverables for each phase from ideation to launch. A product development template can serve as the foundation, giving you a repeatable structure to build on. #### When should you use a product development template? Use a product development template whenever your team follows a repeatable process, so you can duplicate your workflow instead of rebuilding it from scratch each time. It's especially valuable for teams that launch new products or features on a regular cadence. ### Market research Target the right audience, capture actionable insights, and drive real results with our free market research template. - [Create your template](/templates/market-research) ### User research sessions Don’t let valuable user research insights fall to the wayside. Track, sort, and action feedback to delight your customers with our template. - [Create your template](/templates/user-research-sessions) ### Gantt chart template Every aspect of your project is interconnected—and your Gantt chart shows how. Build a custom Gantt chart template to map tasks, roles, and deadlines on a timeline for every project. - [Create your template](/templates/gantt-chart) ### Usability testing plan With our usability testing plan, you can easily create and repeat processes to save time on setting up every research session. - [Create your template](/templates/usability-testing) ### Customer feedback What if you could collect customer feedback in one place to finally figure out what they love and loathe? You’d probably have happier customers. Get started with this customer feedback template. - [Create your template](/templates/customer-feedback) ### Production schedule Create a production schedule template to streamline your work and reduce delays. With a template, everyone is on the same production schedule. - [Create your template](/templates/production-schedule) ### Product marketing launch Don’t reinvent the wheel for every product launch plan. Keep goals and responsibilities clear, manage timelines, and more with our template. - [Create your template](/templates/product-marketing-launch) ### Customer Journey Map Map customer pain points and touchpoints with a free customer journey map template that drives real experience improvements. - [Create your template](/templates/customer-journey-map) ### Product launch How can you hit product launch deadlines, connect cross-functional teams, and see launch updates all in one place? With a product launch template. - [Create your template](/templates/product-launches) ### Business requirements document template Use this business requirements document template to define project scope, objectives, and deliverables. Coordinate teams from planning to completion. - [Create your template](/templates/business-requirements-document) ### Product strategy template Plan product launches, manage objectives, and track progress with a product strategy template designed to keep teams focused on results. - [Create your template](/templates/product-strategy) ### Scrum template Plan sprints, refine backlogs, and run stand-ups with a Scrum template. Track user stories and monitor progress to deliver value every sprint. - [Create your template](/templates/scrum) ### Ideal customer profile template Define your target market using our ideal customer profile template. Track demographics, behaviors, and pain points to improve conversions. - [Create your template](/templates/ideal-customer-profile) ### Product catalog template Try an online product catalog template that keeps pricing, content, and images organized. Give your team a reliable source of truth for every SKU. - [Create your template](/templates/product-catalog)