Requirements Definition & Concept Development Workshop

1. INTRODUCTION

  • New Product Development Process Overview
  • Product Planning and the Fuzzy Front End
  • Requirements Definition and the Concept Development Process

2. CAPTURING THE VOICE OF THE CUSTOMER

  • Defining the Customer and the Market – How Broad or Narrow?
  • Methods for Capturing the Voice of the Customer
  • Planning Data Gathering and Methods
  • 5 Steps for Effective Customer Interviews
  • 5 Steps for Effective Focus Groups
  • Gemba – Observing the Use of the Product in Its Environment
  • Getting to the Root Need – Asking Why
  • Methods for Determining Customer Priorities: Analytical Hierarchy Process and Conjoint Analysis
  • Gathering and Synthesizing Customer Needs and Requirements
  • Organizing Requirements – the Affinity Diagram

3. DEVELOPING THE PRODUCT SPECIFICATION

  • Finalizing a List of Critical Customer Needs or Requirements
  • Performing Competitive Analysis
  • Developing the Product Strategy
  • Exercise 1: Organizing Customer Requirements, Evaluating the Competition and Developing a Product Strategy (Team Development of a New Pocket Calculator Product )
  • Determining Measurable Technical Characteristics and Metrics for Satisfying Customer Needs
  • Exercise 2: Developing Technical Characteristics for the New Product
  • Establishing Initial Target Values and Benchmarking the Product
  • Exercise 3: Performing a Technical Evaluation (Product Benchmarking with Competitive Calculators)
  • Analyzing Specification Trade-offs and Setting Specification Values
  • Exercise 4: Considering Trade-Offs and Establishing Specification Values
  • Finalizing and Reviewing the Product Specification

4. CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT

  • The Concept Development Process
  • Developing Concept Alternatives
  • Methods for Enhancing Creativity and Innovation
  • Product Benchmarking and Obtaining and External Perspective
  • Exercise 5: Creativity Exercise
  • Determining Criteria for Screening and Evaluating Concept Alternatives
  • The Concept Selection Matrix
  • Building Upon and Refining the Concept
  • Exercise 6: Develop & Select a Product Concept – Concept Selection Matrix
  • Next Steps – Transitioning to Design

6. APPLICATION AND SUMMARY

  • Managing the Concept Development Process and Avoiding Common Pitfalls
  • Planning and Organizing a Project
  • Team Membership and Operation
  • Other Related Methods and Techniques
  • Management Support, Training and Preparation
  • Bridging the Workshop Back to Workplace