Chapter 1: Introduction
Product Design and Development
Fourth Edition
by Karl T. Ulrich and Steven D. Eppinger
Objectives
• Recap from session – 1
– Presentation feed back
– Universal design – state some examples
•
•
•
•
Importance of Product Development
Scope of Development Efforts
Role of Structured Methods
Benefits of Integration
Recap
• Recap from session – 1
– Presentation feed back
– Universal design – state some examples,…project
ideas?
Refer slide: A design perspective on manufacturing
competitiveness..
Cost, Quality and Time to market are design problems more
than manufacturing problems. …….Why?
Importance of Product
Development
Is it important at all? ……Why?
Note the goal: “The economic success of manufacturing firms
depends on their ability to identify the needs of customers
and to quickly create products that meet these needs and
can be produced at low cost.”
Is it a marketing problem?......Why?
Is it a design problem?......Why?
Is it a manufacturing problem?.......Why?
Note : It is a product development problem involving all of
these functions and more….
Importance of Product
Development
This course deals with a collection of methods intended to
enhance the abilities of cross-functional teams to work
together to develop products.
Points to ponder……w.r.t India:
Where will you find such cross functional teams?
If not then what? What are you doing now to overcome
such limitations? In your School w.r.t your projects?
See today’s Indian express (TNIE dated 27 July 2011):
NASSCOM-Mckinsey Report. …..regarding employability of
Indian graduates (both engg & non-engg)
Characteristics of successful
Product Development
Profitability? …..”for-profit”enterprise?…. What about not-for
profit enterprises?…
Note: profitability is often difficult to assess quickly and directly
High performance along specific dimensions:
• Product Quality:
• Product Cost:
• Development time:
• Development cost:
• Development capability:
Other stakeholders: …….product’s ability to create jobs?
So…..Who Designs and Develops
Products?
• Marketing – interaction between firm and
customers
• Design – defines physical form to meet
customer needs
– Engineering design (mechanical, electrical etc.)
– Industrial design (aesthetics, ergonomics, user
interfaces)
• Manufacturing – designs and operates the
production system (extending to supply chain
issues)
Who
Designs
and
Develops
Products?
Exh 1-2: Product development team for an electromechanical product of modest complexity
Examples of engineered, discrete,
physical products
Duration & Cost of Product
Development
Note: External
teams may be
large
The Challenges of Product
Development
• Trade-weight vs. manufacturing cost (e.g. airplanes)
• Dynamics – Improved technologies, changing customer pref.
• Details – Screws or snap fits
• Time pressure – quick decisions without complete info.
• Economics – Return on investment
Plus…..
• Creation – process intensely creative
• Satisfaction of societal and individual needs
• Team diversity – many different skills & talents
• Team Spirit – colocated…..”physical or virtual”
Structured Methods
• The integrative methods to facilitate problem solving and
decision making among people with different disciplinary
perspectives.
1.
First: they make decision process explicit, allowing everyone on the
team to understand the decision and reducing the rationale of
moving forward with unsupported decisions.
2.
Second, important activities are not forgotten – “checklists”
3.
Third, these methods are self-documenting (for future reference of
newcomers)
[The methods are a starting point for continuous improvement]
Organizational Realities
Assumption: Teams work in a conducive environment in support
of organizational goals.
Reality…
• Dysfunctional product development teams.
• Lack of empowerment of the team
• Functional allegiances transcending project goals
• Inadequate resources
• Lack of cross-functional representation on the project team.
Road Map