Release Notes

A release notes document specifies the market-facing conditions and criteria that must be satisfied for the product to be shipped and made available to external users.

Key Points

  • Summarizes the shipping criteria required for an external or market release.
  • Targets customers, users, partners, and other external stakeholders.
  • Typically includes version info, new features, fixes, known issues, and compatibility.
  • May reference readiness gates such as security checks, compliance approvals, documentation, and deployment steps.

Example

A SaaS team preparing v2.3 publishes release notes that list: feature additions, resolved defects, known limitations, supported browsers, and rollout date. The notes state shipping criteria such as: penetration tests passed, privacy review complete, help center updated, localization for EN/ES ready, and app store approvals received before public availability.

PMP Example Question

Which item is most appropriate to include in release notes for a market-facing product launch?

  1. External shipping criteria and market readiness conditions
  2. Team capacity forecast for the next sprint
  3. Internal vacation calendar for the development team
  4. The project charter executive summary

Correct Answer: A — External shipping criteria and market readiness conditions

Explanation: Release notes are intended for external audiences and should communicate what is being released and the criteria for shipping to the market, not internal planning artifacts.

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