Petteri Piippo

Ten tools for customer-driven product development in industrial companies

Abstract Need assessment is a critical success factor of product and business development in all companies. In this paper we present 10 tools for customer-driven product and business development for companies producing industrial products. The tools help to clarify the needs and objectives of customers and to ensure that customer needs are considered when making development decisions in the different phases of product development. These tools were developed in a two-year project with small and medium-sized companies. In our paper we describe important requirements for the development of the tool set, give a short description of the tools and their usability, and introduce different practical ways to support the selection of tools.

An analysis of innovation management systems' characteristics

Abstract The purpose of this study is to establish an approach to analyze the characteristics of the product innovation management systems in companies. In order to clarify the characteristics of the innovation management system, structure and activities of management system should be analyzed. For this purpose the basic elements and their relation to the innovation management system are extracted and the basic model and items to be investigated are proposed. Investigations have been performed in Finnish companies according to the proposed model. The effectiveness of the proposed approach is discussed.

Applying quality award criteria in R&D project assessment

Abstract Due to the problematic characteristics and complexity of R&D, the applicability of Total Quality Management (TQM) and quality award criteria in the assessment of a companys R&D process is very challenging. This study concentrates especially on the application of the Malcolm Baldrige Quality Award (MBQA) Criteria to R&D assessments at project level. The applicability of quality award criteria in the assessment of R&D projects is first discussed with the help of a literature review at conceptual level. The meaning of different sub-areas of quality award criteria is analyzed from the point of view of R&D activities and single projects. The measures, performance criteria and concrete measurable aspects for R&D project evaluation are then derived on the basis of the analysis. In the empirical part of the study, the analysis of the utilization of criteria for R&D project assessment is discussed from the viewpoint of a manufacturing company that has successfully applied the Finnish National Quality Award Criteria based on the MBQA. The study gives examples of the derivation of new R&D project measures from the quality award criteria framework.

Problems and promotion of R&D project selection in Finnish high-tech manufacturing companies

Summary form only given. Selection of right R&D projects is vital for the success of development of new products. According to literature, R&D project selection is one of the weakest carried out tasks in R&D management. Many factors affecting the selection problems are interlinked with each other. Few studies have analyzed practically both the problems and their causes in R&D project selection. It is necessary to recognize and analyze both the causes and effects of selection problems to effectively promote R&D project selection. In this study, we comprehensively analyzed important causes and effects of selection problems in Finnish high-tech companies and clarified means to solve these problems. The developed analysis approach consisted of semistructured interviews, frequency analyses and causal analyses. Five medium and large-sized Finnish high-tech manufacturing companies operating in metal and electronic industries took part in this analysis. In each studied company, about ten persons from different departments participating in R&D selection were interviewed. Causal maps were exploited to illustrate and analyze the relationships of selection problems, the causes and effects of these problems and the possible negative loops concerning the selection from the standpoint of the whole company. Effective means to decrease and eliminate selection problems were clarified based on the causal maps of the studied companies and their comparison.

Use of GDSS for selection of technology: new integrated CAD-system for an entire company

Summary form only given. Selection of the right technology is a critical success factor for companies. The aim of technology selection is to obtain new know-how and systems, which help the company to make more competitive products and services, and more effective processes, or create completely new solutions. Technology selection is a complex, multicriteria and multiperson task. A group of persons, including representatives from all the functions of a company influenced by the technology, is needed for the selection process. The representatives of different departments with very disparate educational background and knowledge must be able to work effectively together as a group to select the best possible technologies for the company. Group decision support systems (GDSS) offer many potential benefits for promoting group work in technology selection processes. The purpose of this paper is to clarify the real advantages and problems of GDSS supporting technology selection processes in companies. The advantages and disadvantages are illustrated by a real CAD-system selection application for an industrial company. This paper clarifies the factors and limitations, which should be taken into consideration when utilizing GDSS. The focus of this analysis is in the assessment phase of the selection process for potential technology alternatives executed in a group. This study is based on a number of organized technology management sessions in the GDSS-laboratory of the industrial Engineering and Management Department at Lappeenranta University of Technology (LUT) from 1994 to 1998.

Comparative study of product innovation systems

Product innovation management, which includes new product development and product improvement, is one of the most important managerial concerns. The establishment of an effective and flexible product innovation system is necessary in every company in order to achieve competitive advantage, but the focal point and process of product development differ with regard to managerial strategy and surrounding conditions. The purpose of this study is to clarify the fundamental activity of product innovation processes and to identify the elemental functions of product development, thus comparing the pattern of development in practical investigations. In order to achieve this goal, we take the common functions of product innovation by extracting them from practical case studies. As a result we compare the cases and discuss the characteristics of a product innovation system.

Use of GDSS for technology selection: new integrated CAD-system for an entire company

Selection of technologies in a company is a complex, multiperson and multicriteria task. Group decision support systems (GDSS) offer many potential benefits for promoting technology selection processes. The purpose of this paper is to clarify the real advantages and problems of GDSS in supporting technology selection in companies. The advantages and disadvantages are illustrated by a real CAD system selection application.

Intranet based system for a product innovation management process

A high quality product development process is a critical success factor for product innovations. Many companies have developed process models to support the management of product innovation processes. The defined management process models are not always flexible enough and sufficiently easy to use to ensure their regular usage in companies. This study utilises the possibilities of internet technologies to build a system to promote product innovation management (PIM), to support the use of management process models and to meet the defined development requirements for PIM. Our paper describes the developed system and clarifies its possibilities, advantages and limitations. The system includes different process models, it assists in the selection of an appropriate process model, and provides instructions for the implementation of the different stages in the PIM process. The developed system provides companies with a framework for building their own management systems.

A groupware tool for R&D project selection for distributed company environment

Summary form only given. The management of the early phases of R&D is one of the most challenging tasks the management of a company encounters. R&D project selection is even more challenging, since it is made in a distributed environment, where the departments of a company have their own divergent objectives and strategies. The scattered expertise inside the company needs to be collected and combined to an effective R&D project selection solution. This paper describes the development of a groupware tool for R&D project selection. The tool was developed by combining AHP (analytic hierarchy process) with the groupware abilities of LotusNotes/Domino. A GDSS-laboratory (group decision support system) was utilized during the planning phase of the development to define the requirements for the tool. The tool covers the whole R&D project selection process from idea gathering to the final analysis phase. The tool supports the cooperation of experts from different departments to synthesize their knowledge and to define the best projects in a distributed, global company environment.

Selection of R&D performance measures from the whole company's point of view

Summary form only given. Selecting suitable measures for R&D is a very challenging task for the decision-makers in various organizations. There are several factors influencing the selection of measures from the whole companys standpoint. The aim of this study is to clarify the essential major factors influencing the selection of suitable R&D performance measures. This study focuses on product development. In this study we examine in-process, output and outcome measurement and feedback, i.e. pre evaluation of the R&D process is not discussed. The study deals with the issue at corporate or SBU level, mainly from the standpoint of an industrial manufacturing company operating in the business-to-business environment. In this study we aim to build a more comprehensive view of the major factors. The study has been done in cooperation with five industrial companies, which all have a strong position in the world markets of their own product segments. The analyses of the study are based on wide survey to the literature and interviews of the studied companies. The analyses concentrate on comparisons of the existent and hoped-for measures of the studied companies and measures and aspects from earlier studies. In this study we determine five major factors for selecting suitable R&D measures at company level: corporate strategy and R&D objectives based on the strategy; recognition of R&D impact chain; critical success factors of R&D; purpose of R&D performance measurement; and company-wide R&D contingency factors.