Last week I was asked again about product launch checklists and why I hate them. I’m not averse to checklists and have no ill will toward them. I just have a problem when people use them as if they are the launch strategy (more on launch strategy is covered in Product Launch Essentials).
Launch goals come first. Then the launch strategy is developed. Only within the context of a launch strategy does the creation of a launch checklist become a useful activity. It’s a project management tool.
Even after a solid checklist is created it may be completely irrelevant to a different product launch in your product portfolio. The launch checklist is not a “living document”. You create it, you use it and move on. When you launch the next new product or new version of an existing product, you start fresh based on the best launch strategy.
