The Product flow diagram (PFD) is a graphical representation of the order by which a sequence of products is created according to Product based planning principles. It is related to the Product breakdown structure (PBS).
It is a prescribed activity of the PRINCE2 project management methodology which mandates the use of Product based planning.
Some important features of the Product Flow Diagram (PFD) include:
- the PFD is a planning aid, not an outcome of planning (like a PERT Chart which looks similar), this is a common cause of confusion among the project managers - the PFD should contain all of the products of the Product Breakdown Structure (equivalent to a Work Breakdown Structure) - the PFD should be kept as simple/ high-level as possible for it to make sense (if additional detail is required, creating a supplementary, detailed PFD can be useful) - all products should be 'linked into' the PFD, even if it's only to the start and the finish products - it's vital not to get too 'hung up' on nuances such as the nature of each logical linkage in setting up a PFD
The PFD is typically created iteratively with Product Descriptions and the Product Breakdown Structure because as a project manager works through the logic they will identify missing products and additional information about products.