Product Contract
A product contract, or design specification, is a document that defines the product design task and measures by which the success of the design will be judged. The contract defines expectations for the alpha prototype. A 2.009 product contract document should include: a header with- description: what is your product?
- value proposition: who is your user? how does the user benefit? where and when used? why would someone want this?
- User persona
- market
- user needs, product attributes, engineering specifications
Product Contract Example
A simple partial example of a product contract is provided below. description: portable electric device for lifting automobiles value proposition: a portable automobile lift that allows amateur enthusiasts to work on cars, on weekends at home, as comfortably as using a commercial lift user persona: backyard mechanic market: automotive accessories| user need | product attribute(s) | engineering specification(s) |
| can be easily transported | weight | less than 40 lbs |
| is easily stored in the home garage | size | less than a 24" cube |
| can handle most repair situations | capacity | up to 3000 pounds |
| can be used on many uneven surfaces | stability | stable at 16" height with 400 lb side load |