New Product Development Decision Log
This is a practical guide to building a decision log for a new product development project — a record of the key decisions made, by whom and why, adapted to the realities of taking a new product from concept to market.
What a Decision Log is
A decision log is a record of the key decisions made, by whom and why. For the full concept and how it works in general, see Decision Log. On a new product development project it plays the same role, tuned to this kind of work.
Why it matters for a New Product Development project
New Product Development projects live or die on taking a new product from concept to market. A well-built decision log gives the team a shared, explicit reference for exactly that — reducing ambiguity, aligning stakeholders, and making problems visible early enough to act. Skipping it, or doing it generically, is how new product development projects drift into avoidable delay and cost.
What to include
- Decision
- Date and owner
- Rationale
- Alternatives considered
- Impact
New Product Development-specific considerations
Tailor the decision log to the risks that most often derail new product development projects:
- Uncertain market fit
- Feature/scope creep
- Time-to-market pressure
Example
On a real new product development project, the decision log would be shaped by taking a new product from concept to market. In particular, it should explicitly account for the project’s biggest risks — uncertain market fit, feature/scope creep, time-to-market pressure — rather than treating them as afterthoughts.