The PDMA Handbook of New Product Development

6.6. Fuzzy Front End for Breakthrough Products

Breakthrough products (i.e., those new-to-the-company or new-to-the-world) typically either begin with a strategic vision or are identified and promoted by an individual/product champion (Markham, 2002).

Examples of breakthrough products that have occurred as a result of a strategic vision are SmithKline & French's Tagamet® and Coming's catalytic converter. Tagamet® (Nayak and Ketteringham, 1986), the first billion dollar drug in the pharmaceutical industry, began with a vision of developing a new class of drug, called H₂ antagonists, for healing ulcers more quickly and painlessly than previous drugs. SmithKline & French agreed to support this vision. The project began in 1964 with a budget of $2.5 million. The product was not released until 1976, 12 years after the initial effort. This project succeeded as a result of the brilliance and tenacity of the research team combined with a senior management vision that was clear, stable, and supported. Corning achieved a huge success in developing the successful ceramic substrate for catalytic converters. Corning senior management set forth a compelling vision to develop the next generation of catalytic converters when they realized the huge potential that resulted from the reduced emission requirement of the Clean Air Act. These factors were so compelling that Corning, in 1970, directed hundreds of scientists and engineers to focus on this single challenge. The resulting product has been ...