Framework F010: Product Development Milestones

Document every step of your new product development process — from concept to commercialization

Most startups don’t fail because they lack a product — they fail because they can’t clearly show where they are in the development journey.

This framework helps you identify and document the key milestones in the new product development process. You’ll align these with TRL levels (Technology Readiness Levels) to validate your progress and communicate it with confidence — whether you're pitching investors, preparing a launch, or managing internal teams.

What You Will Achieve With This Framework

✔ Understand the full product development life cycle, from proof of concept to market launch

✔ Match each milestone to its corresponding TRL level for credibility and clarity

✔ Build a roadmap milestone timeline to track and communicate progress

✔ Collect and organize documentation to back up each stage

✔ Use real-world examples to model your own progress reporting

Who This Is For

  • Startup founders building toward launch

  • Product and engineering teams managing dev cycles

  • Strategy leads creating investor updates or grant applications

  • Teams seeking structure across the new product development process

When to Use It

Use this framework when:

  • You're prepping a product or prototype for pilot or scale

  • You need to map product development stages for funding or reports

  • You’re working on a product roadmap and want to document real progress

  • You want a repeatable format for internal and external milestone tracking

What This Framework Replaces

✘ Vague project updates with no clear evidence of traction

✘ Investor or team confusion about your development stage

✘ “We’re getting close” instead of “Here’s what we’ve accomplished”

✘ Disorganized tracking of MVPs, pilots, and launches

How It Fits Into Your Innovation Process

Use this after your feasibility study and innovation stage assessment (e.g., TRL/BRL). It becomes your structured product roadmap — guiding decisions, investments, and scale.

Framework Sections

  1. Why Milestones Matter: Align funding, resourcing, and messaging

  2. TRL-Aligned Milestone Map: From proof of concept (TRL 2–3) to market launch (TRL 9)

  3. How to Document Your Milestones: Step-by-step format for clarity and credibility

  4. Industry Examples: Software, energy, healthtech.

  5. Evidence Requirements: What to collect for each TRL level.

  6. Checklist & Roadmap Tips: Ensure every stage is documented and understandable.