GENERAL PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT DOCUMENT CATEGORIES

Product development documentation can be classed into eight fairly orthogonal categories:

1. Control documents are used to maintain, monitor and control the design, development and testing.
   Examples: Budgets, schedules, Standard Operating Procedures…
   
   
2. Compliance documents imbue third party requirements into the design, development and testing.
   Examples: OSHA, FCC, UL, and CE requirements…
   
   
3. Grooming documents provide top level 'viewable representations' that enhance top level understanding and discourse of the design, development and testing.
   Examples: Flow charts, state diagrams, concept drawings, 3D models, interaction simulations…
   
   
4. Implementation documents show the actual implementation of the design, development and testing.
   Examples: Schematics, 3D dimensioned drawings, source code, test protocols…
   
   
5. Configuration documents show how a manufacturer or user can 'officially' modify a product.
   Examples: Setup instructions, jumper selections, software option selections…
   
   
6. Procurement documents specify the design, test and compliance requirements for purchased sub-assemblies and custom parts.
   Examples: Cable drawings, mechanical specification drawings, COTS operating system, BIOS requirements…
   
   
7. Tools documents describe the tools used to implement and test the design; these documents also prescribe what is needed to qualify, maintain and calibrate the tools.
   Examples: OS validation suites, compiler validation, assembly / test equipment calibrations & maintenance…
   
   
8. Critique documents describe and record all efforts to review, verify and validate the design, development and testing.
   Examples: Design reviews, fault/FMEA and hazard analyses, environmental test results…

Each phase of the product development project will require some documentation based on one or more of these document categories. Before we look at some detailed examples of 'required' documents, let's take a top view of a generalized documentation structure.