"More than any other automaker, Chrysler has refined product development into a potent competitive weapon…organized into platform teams representing all disciplines – marketing, manufacturing, engineering, design, procurement, and supply – everybody is represented.”
Robert Eaton
Former Chairman
Chrysler |
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Product
Development Process and Organization
Achieving product leadership while maintaining control of your costs requires both an effective product development process and organization.
We recommend a Multi-Phase Product Development Process framework, adapted to the requirements of the business. We use Phase Exit Reviews as
a management process for keeping the product development
program on track and confirming readiness to commit resources
for the next phase of the program. The product development
process should be documented, with standard phases, steps,
tasks and procedures.
Our approach uses separate tracks for Technology
Development and Application
Development. The objective is to verify the feasibility of new technologies off line and create a database to support application development, which will mitigate the technical and schedule risk inherent in perfecting new technologies.
Beacon’s knowledge management processes utilize a Bookshelf concept, incorporating technical data, design standards, best practices, lessons earned, and historical data for schedules, staffing levels and budgets.
Our methodologies include a
 product development organization based on
Integrated Product Development Teams
(IPDTs) with dedicated cross-functional staff to support concurrent product and production process design, which in turn facilitates design excellence and reduces time to market. Our methodologies also recognize the importance of establishing functional management practices which support the IPDTs to effectively apply, build and retain company functional expertise.
For more information on the product development process and organization see the
white papers
“Roadmap to Product Leadership”, “Improving Time to Market”, and “Product Development Disciplines of Market Leaders”.
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