The PDMA Handbook of New Product Development

4.1. Introduction

As other chapters point out, a set of processes make up an overall framework for NPD. It includes product line planning (Miller, 2000; O'Connor, 2003; Meyer and Lehnerd, 1997), new concept generation (see Chapter 17 and Koen et. al., 2000), phase-gate development (see Chapter 1 and O'Connor, 1994), product life-cycle management (see Chapter 33), and portfolio and pipeline management (see Chapter 3 and O'Connor, 2003). Knowing the details of the framework, however, is only of partial value. The main challenge is in realizing consistent use. As trivial as it sounds, organizations must first use the framework consistently before they realize the desired benefits.

Some organizations focus improvement efforts only on their phase-gate (development) processes, seeking mainly to drive speed-to-market. Yet, a phase-gate process drives single projects from concept to launch. There are two fundamental problems with this. First, few organizations develop only one NPD project at a time, and second, the very nature and quality of concepts delivered into development has enormous influence on project execution and resulting strategic impact. Clearly, phase-gate processes need to be supplemented with portfolio and pipeline management, as well as with front-end and back-end subprocesses.

Carrying out an effective NPD framework does not happen effortlessly. Consider, for example, that during the 1970s Toyota reported taking almost seven years to put a simple development process ...