Product development process
Product development process is " a system of research for the individual product development project and the product development programme"[1]. With the purpose of making the new product development process successful outcome, a development team is obliged to engage competent project management methodologies. Particularly, the team must be capable of creating and verifying the project success conditions. Regardless it is an implementation of a new breakthrough technology or gradual innovation of current good, the team is obliged to determine suitable success criteria for each stage of development process[2].
Stages of Product Development Process
Literature indicates four phases of product development process[3]:
Concept generation The demand to complete the gap that is noticeable on market with reference to customers’ requirements results in new products and services. For that reason, knowledge of customer requirement, how current portfolio of product and services meets them and the fields which require larger application and care are crucial. The following phase is to translate the requirement into product and services. This operation needs innovation skills to develop the special products and services. There are many different methods of fulfilling the requirement, but each of them should determine the feasibility and novelty. According to B. Mahadevan, feasibility contains several dimensions[4]:
- the technological feasibility to manufacture and supply products based on design
- market feasibility to build a market, spread and maintain sustenance
- cost feasibility
- customer acceptance feasibility
Design During this phase, precised specifications about product are drawn. Possibly effective ideas must be analyzed from the position of shapes, sizes and material. This stage also concentrate on cost, manufacturing procedure and specifications, that need precised consideration.
Development Within this phase, the details appeared on drawing board are converted to reality. It requires creation a prototype for widespread testing and final corrections of design. Furthermore, this stage is characterized by determination of precised manufacturing specifications and particular procedures of manufacture and assembly. Mentioned changes are made according to monitored experiments and product usage.
Production The final phase of process of product development relate to the moving of know-how to the production staff and determining the system for volume manufacture. Normally, a few parts of product are produced at the stage of development for examination purpose. At that time efficiency is not taken into account. Also, dedicated equipment and certain supply sources are not determined. These aspects are considered in detail in the final phase. Furthermore, systems are determined to convert initial learning - curve profits into the production and consequently enhance productivity and lower the cost.
Footnotes
| Product development process — recommended articles |
| Product structure — Productize — Designed quality — Innovation management — Quality by design — Development cost — Technology — Cycle time — Design development |
References
- Earle M., Earle R., Anderson A., (2001), Food Product Development: Maximizing Success, CRC Press, USA
- Mahadevan B., (2010), Operations Management: Theory and Practice: Second Edition, Pearson Education, India
- Rafinejad D., (2007), Innovation, Product Development and Commercialization: Case studies and Key Practices for Market Leadership, J. Ross Publishing, USA
Author: Faustyna Nowicka
