Title: Interfaces between technology development, product development and production: critical factors and a conceptual model

Authors: Nicolette Lakemond, Glenn Johansson, Thomas Magnusson, Kristina Safsten

Addresses: Department of Management and Engineering, Linkoping University SE-58183 Linkoping, Sweden. ' Department of Industrial Engineering and Management, School of Engineering, Jonkoping University, SE-551 11 Jonkoping, Sweden. ' Department of Management and Engineering, Linkoping University, SE-58183 Linkoping, Sweden. ' Department of Industrial Engineering and Management, School of Engineering, Jonkoping University, SE-551 11 Jonkoping, Sweden

Abstract: Interfaces between technology development, product development, and production must be managed in order to avoid misfits between technology and product concepts and ensure the fit of the product design and the production process. In this paper, critical challenges related to these interfaces are studied based on in-depth case studies of ten product development projects at five manufacturing firms, two workshops and a questionnaire. Our findings indicate that factors related to synchronisation and transfer management are most critical. A tentative model is formulated as an instrument to reduce risk and uncertainty related to the interfaces.

Keywords: technology development; product development; production; interface management; product design; synchronisation; transfer management; risk reduction; uncertainty.

DOI: 10.1504/IJTIP.2007.016303

International Journal of Technology Intelligence and Planning, 2007 Vol.3 No.4, pp.317 - 330

Published online: 16 Dec 2007 *

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