Difference Between Product and Process


The terms "product" and "process" are important in the context of software development. The basic difference between a product and a process is that a process is a set of steps to guide the project in order to obtain the appropriate product, whereas the product is the final result of the software project. In this article, we will discuss more about "product" and "process" and how they are different from each other.

What is a Product?

In software engineering, any software developed as per the requirements of the client is referred to as a product. In other words, a product is the outcome of a planned and controlled software project. Before the planning of the project, it is required to establish the purpose and scope of a product.

A software product consists of several entities such as requirement specifications, design and test documents, and user manuals. In order develop a desired product, the developer and customer should define the objective and scope of the product. Where, the objective gives the information about the aim of the product, whereas the scope provides details about fundamental data, functions, and behavior of the product.

What is a Process?

In software development, process is defined as a set of steps to be followed to develop a software product. It acts as a templet that is used to direct the project. A process handles all the development cycles of a software product. The process makes progressive alterations in the requirements of the software product.

The major activities involved in a software development process are – describing software specifications, design and implementation, verification and validation, and software evolution. The process focuses on completing each phase of the software development.

Difference between Product and Process

The following table highlights the important differences between a Product and a Process −

Product Process
Product is the final production phase in the project. Process refers to a set of sequence of steps that should be followed with the goal of creating a project.
Product focuses on the final result. Process focuses on completing every step involved in the project that is being developed.
Product follows the firm guidelines. Process follows the guidelines consistently.
Product tends to be a short-term aspect. Process tends to be a long-term aspect.
The goal of a product is to complete the work successfully. The goal of a process is to improve the quality of the project.

Conclusion

The most significant difference between a product and a process is that a product is the final outcome of a software project, whereas a process is the sequence of steps that has to be followed to complete a project.

Updated on: 07-Dec-2022

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