Title: Incorporating integrated product development with technology road mapping for dynamism and innovation

Authors: James A.W. Mulebeke, Li Zheng

Addresses: Department of Industrial Engineering, School of Mechanical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Shunde Building, Beijing 100084, PR China. ' Department of Industrial Engineering, School of Mechanical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Shunde Building, Beijing 100084, PR China

Abstract: Market forces, fast rate of increase of technology and globalisation are augmenting the importance of product and process innovation as a source of competitive advantage for manufacturing enterprises. The key factors spearheading market success include the capacity to develop the right products for the right customers using the right processes with shorter development lifecycles than competitors. This paper discusses a methodology used to incorporate Integrated Product Development (IPD) which has been, for the past two decades, the default product development technique with technology road mapping to make it dynamic and innovative. In effect, IPD is key to producing complex, customised products to the market in the shortest possible time. The incorporation involves identifying key market drivers affecting the enterprise, assessing the effect of these market drivers on the evolution of the IPD process, brainstorming for alternative technologies to respond to the IPD so as to leverage enterprise competitive advantage and finally using this information to chart a road map from which we can extract preferred technology solutions.

Keywords: competitive advantage; road map; innovation; dynamism; time to market; technology road mapping; integrated product development; IPD; key market drivers; brainstorming; alternative technologies; cross-functional teams; technology integration.

DOI: 10.1504/IJPD.2006.008875

International Journal of Product Development, 2006 Vol.3 No.1, pp.56 - 76

Published online: 01 Feb 2006 *

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