IPD Study Notes – The Release Phase of Product Development

Background of IPD

The IPD methodology originates from the PACE theory of the U.S. company PRTM and was refined through IBM’s practice, forming a systematic engineering framework that covers product development ideas, models, and tools.

IPD Process Structure

IPD divides product development into six stages—Concept, Planning, Development, Verification, Release, and Lifecycle—with clearly defined decision‑review points. These review points are business‑oriented evaluations that assess market positioning and profitability rather than purely technical criteria.

Purpose of the Release Phase

The release phase validates the manufacturing readiness plan, evaluates and adjusts the market release plan as needed, and confirms the assumptions made during the verification phase.

Main Goals and Activities

The primary goals and associated activities for the release phase are summarized in the table below.

Key Focus Elements in the Release Phase

Prepare for the transition from mass production to series production.

Ensure a smooth handover to production operations.

Complete the release product package.

Monitor the supply chain effectively.

Implement sales execution plans.