The Product Development

Cycle in Todays Manufacturing

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

OVERVIEW
Explain the product development cycle
Define project management processes
Relate #1 and #2
Discuss the tasks behind each process
Suggest simple communication tools
Bob Carson
March 11, 2004

11MARCH04

Product Development Cycle and Project

Management Process

Expected Outcomes

Individuals will understand:

product development in todays industry
processes of project management
value of simple communication

Individuals will recognize the value of effective

project management skills in todays product
development cycle

11MARCH04

Product Development Cycle and Project

Management Process

Common Definitions

Product Development Cycle: the period of time

needed to complete the set of events that
develops an idea into a quality product
Process: the ordered set of events required to
achieve a quality result and ensure robust,
repeatable results
Project: the organization of the teams
commitment to deliver a product
Project Management: the control of team
behaviors across the Product Development Cycle

11MARCH04

Product Development Cycle and

Project Management Process

Motivation
Engineers should learn about todays
development practices
An engineers skill set should
parallel industrys expectations
Efficient individuals develop
effective project management skills
11MARCH04

Product Development Cycle

and Project Management

Phases of the Product

Development Cycle

Phase 0 - Generate Idea

Phase 1 - Plan
Phase 2 - Develop
Phase 3 - Validate
Phase 4 - Qualify
Phase 5 - Produce

11MARCH04

Product Development Cycle and Project

Management Process

Product Development Phases

Phase

Goal

0
Sell Ideas

Generate
many
ideas

1
Plan

Develop
Plan

2
Develop

Advance
idea to
product

3
Validate

4
Qualify

5
Produce

Proof of
specs

Proof of
build

Robust
process

Process Develop

Plan the
Engineer
work for Functional
the Team Models

Test
Proto
units

Build &
Test Pilot
units

Release
Product
to Sell

Main Initial
Artifact Project

Gantt
Chart

Solid
System
Proto

Working
Product

Quality
Product

Ideas into
Proposal

Summary

Owner Project

Core
Champion Team

11MARCH04

Working
Modules &
Prototypes

Extended or Core Team Member

Product Development Cycle and

Project Management Process

Project Management Process Steps

1.

Present an idea

2.

Plan the work

3.

Work the plan

Learn from experiences

4.

11MARCH04

Product Development Cycle and Project

Management Process

ProcessPhase Relationship
Project Phase 0 Phase 1
Ideas
Plan
Mgmt
Process
Steps
1
Develop
Ideas
2
3
4

11MARCH04

Phase 2 Phase 3
Develop Validate

Phase 4 Phase 5
Qualify Produce

Plan the
work
Work the Plan
Learn from positive and negative events

Product Development Cycle and

Project Management Process

Process Step 1. Present an Idea

Phase 0
Collect ideas
Consider customers
Know stakeholders
Write proposal (Initial Project Summary)
QUICK

11MARCH04

Product Development Cycle and

Project Management Process

Ideas come from Many Sources

STEP 1

Customer wants
Customer needs
Competitor products
Competitor plans
Marketing/sales logs
Organizational strategies
Society attitudes and opinions
Product Development Cycle and
Project Management Process

10

Consider All Customers

External customers buy products that

provide the lifeblood for the organization

Internal customers have objectives linked
to products that meet organizational goals
Business partners help develop products
to further everyones organizational goals
Carefully consider each customer need
STEP 1

Product Development Cycle and

Project Management Process

11

Know all Stakeholder Agendas

Understand all external customer plans
Check alignment of the idea with the

current organizational strategies

Solicit input from all internal customers
and provide continuous feedback
Uncover any hidden agendas through
open conversations and discussions
STEP 1

Product Development Cycle and

Project Management Process

12

Develop the Initial Project

Summary (IPS)

Goal
Product Roadmap
Key Selling Points
Key Customers
Proposed Team
Business Case
Recommendation to decision-makers

STEP 1

Quick

Product Development Cycle and

Project Management Process

13

Process Step 2. Plan the work

Phase 1
Incorporate new organizational input
Select the team
Identify tasks
Link deliverables to milestones
Anticipate showstoppers
Define tradeoffs
Freeze the plan
11MARCH04

Product Development Cycle and Project

Management Process

14

Consider new input

Decision-makers typically set direction for
the project at the Phase 0 exit review
(quality, performance, schedule and cost)
Meld those inputs into the IPS as you
develop the project plan
Oversight or ignoring organizational
direction can be costly down the road

STEP 2

Product Development Cycle and Project

Management Process

15

Select the teams

The core team may
include 8 members
The extended team
contains as many
members as needed
to complete the work
BUT time, humans
and money are never
infinite resources

STEP 2

CORE TEAM

Research
Quality
Hardware
Software
Mechanical
Manufacturing
Marketing/Sales
Finance

Product Development Cycle and Project

Management Process

16

Identify the tasks

Break down the work into tasks for each
project phase
Assign owners
Assign proposed due dates
Set milestones and review dates
Iterate to a potential plan

STEP 2

Product Development Cycle and Project

Management Process

17

Link deliverables
Match deliverables to milestones by phase.
Plan for deliverables that are not tied to key
milestones. What are some examples of key
deliverables?

STEP 2

New parts or components

Module prototypes
System prototypes
Marketing collateral
New test equipment and rework systems
New manufacturing equipment or machines
Product Development Cycle and Project
Management Process

18

Define tradeoffs
Showstoppers need defined before
finalizing the plan
Establish tradeoffs to give the team clear
direction should known risks develop
This task avoids wasted time later in the
project. It shows the decision-makers a
teams due diligence to project success

STEP 2

Product Development Cycle and Project

Management Process

19

Freeze the plan

Establish reporting structure
Define project metrics - QPSC
Set firm values
Phase Schedules
Cost
Qualification date
Production date
Recommend a final plan for approval
STEP 2

Product Development Cycle and Project

Management Process

20

Process Step 3. Work the plan

Phases2-5
The team must report on progress and address
any issues as the project unfolds. The concepts
for Work the Plan include:

Commit and deliver to plan

Monitor and report metrics with data
Discuss obstacles and engage stakeholders
Communicate change
Recommit and deliver to change

11MARCH04

Product Development Cycle and Project

Management Process

21

Commit and Deliver

Can do attitudes ensure project success

Cohesive teams produce a synergy

STEP 3

Product Development Cycle and Project

Management Process

22

Report routinely
Report project progress using data
Communicate project status to all decisionmakers and stakeholders with Quality,
Performance, Cost and Schedule metrics
Suggest recommendations when negative data
identifies a need for change. Never report a
problem without a recommended solution

STEP 3

Product Development Cycle and Project

Management Process

23

Date: 11MAR04
GREEN
RED

Status Report: 04-123

Project Manager: Carson

Year-to-Date Project Figures

Quality
Performance
Schedule
Cost

Project Budget: $_____

% Under Budget _____

Project Start Date:10DEC04

Current Phase: Validation
Original End Date: 2APR04
Current End Date: 27APR04 5MAY04

Upcoming Activities
UACT 1
UACT 2
UACT n

Start Date

Completed Activities
CACT 1
CACT 2
CACT n

Completion Date

Expected $$ Overrun ___

% Over Budget

_____

Team Member

Summary of current weeks activities

Due Date

Andersen

Finalized the test fixtures for Proto3A

Modified the test code for UL testing platform

20MAR04
24MAR04

Green
Green

Zeller

Modified test fixtures for Proto4A

Build self locking fixturing for Mfg Qualification tests

15MAR04
10MAR04

Green

Issue

Summary

Action

Schedule

Beryllium Copper late in arriving due 12MAR

Will work OT on 13-14MAR

Comments:

Low risk item: Mfg Engr has high confidence that Production tests will still meet schedule

WEEKLY STATUS
REPORT

Product Development Cycle and

Project Management Process

Owner

HILL

Status

RED
Due Date

15MAR

24

Discuss obstacles with

stakeholders
Discuss the effects of any obstacle with every
stakeholder and ensure understanding
Engage all stakeholders to meet each ones
needs. Over-communicate to ensure
concurrence with change plans
Submit recommendations to decision-makers
and stakeholders. Welcome comments and
feedback on any change plans
STEP 3

Product Development Cycle and Project

Management Process

25

Cost of Changes
Cost

$1,000,000

1,000,000
900,000
800,000
700,000
600,000

$500,000

500,000
400,000
300,000

$250,000

200,000
100,000
0

$50,000
$5,000
$500
Phase 0 Phase 1 Phase 2 Phase 3 Phase 4 Phase 5

HYPOTHETICAL

Product Development Cycle and Project

Management Process

26

Communicate change
Never surprise anyone
Over-communicate when change happens
Ensure all decision-makers and stakeholders
agree with any new tasks or plan changes

STEP 3

Product Development Cycle and Project

Management Process

27

Recommit and Deliver

Change plans get the scrutiny of many
Recognize there may be lots of emotion around
any change in plans. Its the teams
responsibility to plan accordingly
Emphasize commitment and delivery to the
change plan. It may be more important than
achieving the original plan.
STEP 3

Product Development Cycle and Project

Management Process

28

Process Step 4. Learn from experience

Phases 0-5
Professionals use well-documented
events to reinforce good behaviors
and discourage bad ones.
Continuous improvement discipline
demands everyone to learn from
past experiences shed the bad and
share the good.

11MARCH04

Product Development Cycle and

Project Management Process

29

Learn from experience

Document events
Train the positive
Toss the negative
Teach your world

STEP 4

Product Development Cycle and

Project Management Process

30

Document events

Every project experiences both

positive and negative events

Record all events using accurate data

STEP 4

Product Development Cycle and

Project Management Process

31

Toss the negative

Every event during a project is an

opportunity for improvement.
Eliminate these events from practice
by modifying processes and work
instructions to prevent recurrence.
Live the NMI discipline

STEP 4

Product Development Cycle and

Project Management Process

32

NMI Discipline

NameIt: If a process is not defined

the you do NOT know what to do
MeasureIt: You cannot measure a
process unless you have defined it
ImproveIt: A process cannot be
improved unless you can measure it

STEP 4

Product Development Cycle and

Project Management Process

33

Train the positive

Every event during a project is an

opportunity for improvement.
Incorporate these events into practice
by modifying processes and work
instructions to ensure recurrence.
Live the NMI discipline

STEP 4

Product Development Cycle and

Project Management Process

34

Teach your organization

Both positive and negative

experiences provide valuable insight
to others.

Proactively share the Lessons

Learned across the organization.
Educate others of possible benefits in
other areas of the organization.

STEP 4

Product Development Cycle and

Project Management Process

35

Conclusions
Process Phase 0 Phase 1
Ideas
Plan
Steps
1
Develop
Ideas

Phase 2 Phase 3
Develop Validate

11MARCH04

Phase 5
Produce

Plan the
work

3
4

Phase 4
Qualify

Work the Plan

Learn from positive and negative events

Product Development Cycle and

Project Management Process

36