What
must New Product Development (NPD) project execution look like in 12-18
months? How do you plan on achieving that vision? Certainly one of the
most important pieces of information in reaching these longer term
objectives is to understand what project barriers are preventing that
vision from being realized today. Do you agree that you must know
all
the obstacles that are limiting your NPD team? I am sure you do! At
this point I suspect you are considering one of four views on project
barriers in your area:
- You already know what all the barriers are.
- You believe you know what the barriers are.
- You believe you may not know what all the
barriers are.
- You do not know what all the barriers are.
If you
believe that one or two is representative of your view, there is
something I must ask. Is it possible
that the incestuous nature of a localized assessment may be clouded
with too much same thinking, possibly smothering some aspects of
uncovering all barriers?
If you are dealing with an element of unpredictability for an extended
period of time, there is no doubt that barriers exist that you are
unaware of.
An answer similar to number three or four displays a
realistic view of the complex projects in our business. This outlook
represents the leadership qualities that will put an end to "terminal Sameness" and propel an
organization towards meeting that 12-18 month project execution vision.
Driving
a new level of NPD project performance will require action in two
areas. The first is to understand what all the barriers are, as in Discovery. The second is taking the
steps to remove the obstructions, as in Solution. If your organization has
been unable to attain the NPD project execution performance that your
business demands, our unbiased Discovery
and
Solution services will provide the roadmap to meeting your
12-18 month vision.
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Discovery
If
I were to go into any product design organization and ask what their
execution challenges are, they would likely have several items to
share.  This
does
not
necessarily
indicate
that
they
are
executing
poorly, only that
there is known room for improvement. Our industry demands continuous
improvement, with constant pressure to beat the competition. Everyone
must always have a few items in their hip pocket that they are actively
working to improve.
A larger concern should exist about items
that are not visible issues, that are not in anyone's hip pocket, and
they are steeling away precious development time without any fanfare.
Finding these hidden sources of execution roadblocks is
accomplished
through our formalized Discovery
Process.
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When
we embark on a discovery process with our clients we keep the focus
broad, cover multiple areas and multiple engineering disciplines. When
uncovering development execution challenges we include the full NPD
domain.  This
process
will
probe
around
in
test,
product
engineering,
design,
marketing, applications and more. Many "unknown" issues have their
roots in the exchange of information between NPD team members, the
individual level barriers. We are likely to find multiple cases where
individuals are not receiving the information that would improve their
contribution and efficiency back to the project.
Solution
Having
completed a thorough discovery, we have a list of execution barriers
that are either real, perceived or somewhere in the middle. The next
step is action to remove these barriers by putting a strategic plan in
place to eliminate them. We work with your team to develop this plan
and carry it through to closure, removing the barriers to an ideal and
smooth project flow. This is a plan that will have team buy-in, provide
clear value and address the "Terminal
Sameness" that has been ailing project execution.
Unbiased Perspective
By engaging our Discovery and Solution
services the NPD team deals with an unbiased outside party, one that
has no preconceived notion of the issues or solutions. This
aspect is the make or break difference between a mediocre outcome and
one that fosters true renewal. It is essential that this process
creates an open forum for discussion of issues that generate
frustration among team members. Success of genuine root cause
discovery rests solely on the ability to foster a non-threatening
environment to uncover and resolve issues that keep teams from
operating at optimal performance. We have the skills and the
objectivity that will propel this process through to real, quantifiable
improvements in NPD execution for your business. Your 12-18 month project execution vision
will become a reality.
Ready
for
a
Change?
Discovery and
Solution
is not project management. This is NPD process re-engineering, a
strategic approach to removing the systemic execution barriers that
continually disrupt your teams ability to meet commitments. If
you have been dealing with project unpredictability and commitment
issues for some time, this is an indication of underlying issues that
must be uncovered and resolved. It's time to try something
different and our formal Discovery
and Solution services are the difference that will brings
results, Lean NPD results.
Contact me via email or
phone 480-442-6730 to discuss your specific requirements.
The
major source of unpredictability: What you don't know
Sincerely,
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Jeff
Jorvig
IC NPD Coach
www.jorvigconsulting.com
"Providing solutions to the
systemic barriers that impact new product revenue objectives, putting
an end to terminal sameness."
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