Lars Trygg

Stop chasing the Front End process — management of the early phases in product development projects

Abstract The early stages of the product development process have drawn a great deal of attention over the past few years. Prior research has especially singled out these early activities in the pursuit for competitiveness in the future. Previous research, as well as practitioners, has focused on a number of different issues related with the early phases. This has, though, all been done with the underlying aim to develop one optimal process for the opening stages (often referred to as the fuzzy Front End). This paper questions the appropriateness of the current working methods and process work by analyzing the early phases to determine the appropriateness of using one Front End model. Three development projects with different characteristics have been empirically explored in this study. The projects studied showed differentiated Front End processes with respect to activities performed and task sequences, as well as relative time duration and perceived importance of individual tasks. Hence, the findings indicate that there is less use chasing and mapping out the Front End process applicable for the pre-project phase. The findings indicate the need for more managerial flexibility in the pre-project phases. Flexibility is needed in the form of staffing, priorities, and advanced planning of activities. The findings further reveal the need for early on choosing several proper Front End routes, later to be screened, communicated and shared. A basic model to assist a suggested Front End team in this process is proposed.

Measuring R&D productivity: complementing the picture by focusing on research activities

Abstract To stay competitive in an ever-changing environment, companies have to continuously increase the productivity of their R&D resources. To make this increase in productivity possible, the productivity must be measured. Most research so far has focused on measuring R&D as a whole, but with relatively little success. The conclusions drawn from this paper are that previous research has failed due to two main problems. Firstly, esearch activities differ from development activities regarding a number of factors, factors that play important roles in measuring productivity. Thus, research activities must be measured separately, to ensure that the factors are correctly considered. Secondly, the view of what the expected output from a company’s research activities is varies from company to company, as well as with external factors like changing customer demands and developments in the market. Thus, to measure the research activity, managers first have to define what the expected output from the research activities is and then adopt a measurement system that fits the current situation.

Manufacturing Strategy in the Value System

This article examines the current relationship between Swedish manufacturers and their suppliers. Emphasis is put on the demands placed on the suppliers by the manufacturers, on the internal suppliers′ activities causing this demand, and on the future plans and programmes pursued by the suppliers in order to meet this situation. The empirical data suggest that the major interface problem of today is the supplier inability to deliver on time, and that the reasons for this have to do with suppliers′ insufficient material control systems and their inability to produce quality products. Suppliers′ action plans for the future do not, however, include any quality improvement programmes but only actions related to internal material flow, such as lead time reduction programmes and the development of product workshops.

Cross-national comparisons of product development in manufacturing

Abstract In this study we compare product development strategies and practices of five companies in the durable goods industries: one each in the United States (equipment), Sweden aerospace), Germany (electric motors), Hungary (transportation equipment), and Japan (business machines, cameras/video). In particular, we focus on the concept development phase of new product development and the attend to the aspects of the design process that may be influenced by culture. To the extent that the five cases are representative of their home countries, there appears to be ample variance across cultures to justify further, more extensive research in this arena. A model is presented which differentiates the amount of cultural influence by stage of the product development process in high technology versus low technology industries.

Complexity Perception - model development and analysis of two technical platform projects in the mobile phones industry

This paper shows that underlying parameters of perceived complexity in the development of a technical platform in the mobile telecommunications industry can be presented in a model consisting of four parameters, divided on three levels in the projects. The parameters are the number of interrelated parts, type of dependency among these parts, uncertainty in goals, and uncertainty in methods. These complexity parameters can further be found on the different levels: external organization, internal organization, and product. The study also shows that these underlying parameters come into play differently in different settings; e.g. how these parameters are perceived is highly dependent on the specific situation. The settings analyzed in this paper concern the two technical platform projects of mobile phones at Ericsson Communication Systems (ECS), Sweden.

Design-manufacturing practice in the US and Sweden

In a comparative study of 208 US and 109 Swedish durable goods firms, and their practices for promoting design-manufacturing integration, greatest convergence was found for the adoption of manufacturing sign-off of product plans. Sign-off was also the most widespread practice, currently being used by about 75% of all companies in both countries. The US and Swedish firms were also similar, but not identical, in their promotion of mobility among engineers across functions. Permanent moves occur in about half these firms in both countries, but the details, such as which positions are involved, were not available. New structures to promote design-manufacturing integration mere adopted by about 60-65% of all Swedish firms and the larger US companies (1991), but 46% for small US firms (1993). Both countries report the widespread use of teams. There appears to be considerable difference between the two countries in adoption of design training. In 1992 the Swedish adoption rate of DFM (Design for Manufacturing) training was about 20% which is nearly the same as the US large firm adoption rate of 18% in 1987. The larger firm US adoption rate was nearly 56% in 1991 (41% for smaller firms in 1993) but institutional factors such as engineering education have not been controlled. The widest divergence between Swedish and US policies and practices for design-manufacturing integration concerns job rotation. Correlation results indicate convergence of adoption practices in the area of DFM training and manufacturing sign-off for Sweden and the US. >

THE USE OF INTEGRATION MECHANISMS IN THE DESIGN TO PRODUCTION TRANSITION

Abstract - The development to production transition (DPT) is a dynamic process, influenced by a number of factors. The coordination of interdependent activities is one of these, and different solutions for integration exist. In this paper three differently sized organizations are studied with respect to their use of integration mechanisms. The engineering change frequency in the DPT process is used as a measurement of efficiency, and the result indicates that, although a large number of integration mechanisms is in use, this does not automatical lead to efficient behavior.