Argues that a company's capability to conceive and design quality prototypes and bring a variety of products to market more quickly than its competitors is increasingly the focal point of competition. The authors present principles for developing speed and efficiency.

The contents of this book are based on the HBS course "New Product Development: An Analytical Approach." The philosophy of this course is that a deep understanding of consumer decision making is the key to success at the various stages in the development process and that there is a set of tools which provides managers with the necessary insights. The book's objective is to provide the knowledge necessary for a manager to use and employ these tools effectively in new product decision making.

"The P-51 Mustang—perhaps the finest piston engine fighter ever built—was designed and put into flight in just a few months. Specifications were finalized on March 15, 1940; the airfoil prototype was complete on September 9; and the aircraft made its maiden flight on October 26. Now that is a lean development process!" —Allen Ward and Durward Sobek, commenting on the development of the P-51 Mustang and its exemplary use of trade-off curves. Shingo Research and Professional Publication Award recipient, 2008 Despite attempts to interpret and apply lean product development techniques, companies still struggle with design quality problems, long lead times, and high development costs. To be successful, lean product development must go beyond techniques, technologies, conventional concurrent engineering methods, standardized engineering work, and heavyweight project managers. Allen Ward showed the way. In a truly groundbreaking first edition of Lean Product and Process Development, Ward delivered -- with passion and penetrating insights that cannot be found elsewhere -- a comprehensive view of lean principles for developing and sustaining product and process development. In the second edition, Durward Sobek, professor of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering at Montana State University—and one of Ward’s premier students—edits and reorganizes the original text to make it more accessible and actionable. This new edition builds on the first one by: Adding five in-depth and inspiring case studies. Including insightful new examples and illustrations. Updating concepts and tools based on recent developments in product development. Expanding the discussion around the critical concept of set-based concurrent engineering. Adding a more detailed table of contents and an index to make the book more accessible and user-friendly. The True Purpose of Product Development Ward’s core thesis is that the very aim of the product development process is to create profitable operational value streams, and that the key to doing so predictably, efficiently, and effectively is to create useable knowledge. Creating useable knowledge requires learning, so Ward also creates a basic learning model for development. But Ward not only describes the technical tools needed to make lean product and process development actually work. He also delineates the management system, management behaviors, and mental models needed. In this breakthrough text, Ward: Asks fundamental questions about the purpose and “value added” in product development so you gain a crystal clear understanding of essential issues. Shows you how to find the most common forms of “knowledge waste” that plagues product development. Identifies four “cornerstones” of lean product development gleaned from the practices of successful companies like Toyota and its partners, and explains how they differ from conventional practices. Gives you specific, practical recommendations for establishing your own lean development processes. Melds observations of effective teamwork from his military background, engineering fundamentals from his education and personal experience, design methodology from his research, and theories about management and learning from his study of history and experiences with customers. Changes your thinking forever about product development.

The Pursuit of New Product Development: The Business Development Process begins with an understanding of market needs, within a sound business model, a well-defined financial strategy, and well-thought-out strategic goals. This new book by industry-expert Marc Annacchino, will help the professional engineer, manager, marketer, and all others who must come together as a working team, to better understand their respective roles and responsibilities in that process. Today, speeding the right value proposition to the market can make all the difference between success and failure. With case examples, organizational analysis and project planning tools, this new book looks at that longer, organizational view of product development, and how that view can improve product development cycle times and better take advantage of new market opportunities. It will help the product development team better adapt to change and a dynamic market in today's global economy through product platform management, and do so rationally and reliably. And it will help product development professionals to look for hidden value in existing product lines as they plan for that change and growth ahead. - Provides product development professionals with the concepts and tools for a more integrated, successful product development cycle - Promotes a more coherent deployment of managers, engineers, marketers, and sales personnel to achieve results within market opportunity in terms of time, cost and performance - Shows how to better identify and target product value propositions in product line extensions and in securing new markets

Innovating in Product/Process Development demonstrates how to achieve true innovation in product development, and how to launch a new product in the quickest and cheapest way. The new approach to product development proposed in this book is based on the most recent research in the field. It suggests the integration of several tools that are currently only used independently, with the aim of stimulating the creation of innovative ideas in general, and specifically in the areas of product/process improvements and problem solving. Innovating in Product/Process Development explores different aspects of innovation processes in twenty-first century industry from a global economic perspective. It presents in detail several approaches to support these processes, from ICT-based systems to collaborative working environments, all of which will be of interest to MBA or advanced students; researchers; and design teams charged with the creation of new product lines.

Today, a company's capability to conceive and design quality prototypes and bring a variety of superior products to market quicker than its competitors is increasingly the focal point of competition, contend leading product development experts Steven Wheelwright and Kim Clark. Drawing on six years of in-depth, systematic, worldwide research, they present proven principles for developing the critical capabilities for speed, efficiency, and quality that have worked again and again in scores of successful Japanese, American, and European fast-cycle firms. The authors argue that to survive, let alone succeed, today's companies must construct a new "platform" -- with new methodologies -- on which they can compete. Using their model for development strategies, Wheelwright and Clark show that firms can create a solid architecture for the integration of marketing, manufacturing, and design functions for problem solving and fast action -- particularly during the critical design-build-test cycles of prototype creation. They demonstrate further how successful firms such as Honda in automobiles, Compaq in personal computers, Applied Materials in semi-conductors, Sony in audio equipment, The Limited in apparel, and Hill-Rom in hospital beds have employed recent methodologies to bring new products to market at break-neck speed. Such innovations include design for manufacturability, quality function deployment, computer-aided design, and computer-aided engineering. Finally, Wheelwright and Clark emphasize the importance of learning in the organization. Companies that consistently "design it right the first time" and follow a path of continuous improvement in product and process development have a formidable edge in the crucial race to market.

Prof. Dr. U. Jürgens, Wissenschaftszentrum Berlin, is renown for his scientific work in fields like human resources, work organization and organization of production and development, especially for automotive industries. In this publication the authors from different countries discuss practical models of integration in development and production as realized in practice. Time-to-Market is the key for success, efficient integration of development and production necessary to reach the goal. Jürgens himself acts as a publication editor and creates a book reporting about the state of art in automotive and electronics industry. The publication is directed to scientists and is of interest to those practitioners, who have to develop the benchmarks for their own development and production.