Lean Product Development
Principles
Established Lean principles have been applied extensively in the manufacturing arena for about the last decade. However, as the bar continues to rise in this highly competitive environment, companies are looking for new opportunities to apply Lean concepts beyond the factory floor - such as product development.
The challenge of applying Lean principles in product development rests on the ability to tailor the existing strategies and techniques. In the factory, processes are centered on producing parts. In product development, however, processes deal with information and data rather than parts. Nonetheless, as shown in the graphic, a correlation can be made regarding parts used in the factory and information employed in product development.
As a result of our considerable work in the product development arena, Accelerated Product Development has developed three Lean Product Development Principles:
1. Work on what’s important
2. Concentrate the work
3. Reuse knowledge
These principles represent key themes that are integrated into the ten components of the Accelerated Product Development System. Let’s look at each one in more detail:
Work on what’s important means picking projects with high value that align with the core competencies of the business. In addition, it means establishing clear requirements in terms of customer needs, and aligning those requirements with the company’s known technologies and capabilities.
Concentrate the work means performing work in the shortest time possible with minimal hand-offs between individuals. This is accomplished by matching work demand with resource capacity, and minimizing multitasking. It also deals with human issues related to proper staffing of projects with adequate and capable resources.
Reuse knowledge means to leverage the company’s existing product portfolio, product knowledge, and technical skill base in support of new product design. It means using appropriate levels of expertise, learning as much as you can, and capturing the knowledge you have.
Due to its influence throughout the product development process, these Lean Product Development Principles represent a launch element in the APD System.
Accelerated Product Development has worked with companies to promote a mindset for broadening the application of lean to include product development as well other disciplines in the company. By utilizing lean principles to eliminate waste and establish flow, significant improvements in productivity and reductions in product development cycle time can be achieved resulting in greater market share and improved profitability for the company.
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