Making concept decisions is a crucial activity for product-developing companies since these decisions have high impact on the subsequent development and launch of the product. Consequences of unsuccessful concept decisions can be severe, e.g. missing out on business opportunities or spending money on rework. This thesis investigates concept decision making in product development practice and contributes by enhancing the understanding of what is actually happening, the difficulties experienced in the process, and how to manage and improve concept decision making. Such enhanced understanding should serve as a basis when support methods for concept decision making are developed. In-depth studies have been conducted in a Swedish automotive company, focusing on the technical system level of the product. The concept decision process was found to be a web of interconnected activities, embedded in the concept development process, and with several actors on different hierarchical levels. An overarching challenge identified in concept decision making was to achieve compatibility before completeness, meaning that compatibility between product systems must be met before the system solutions are completely developed. In addition, a number of conflicts intrinsic in the process were revealed, pointing to underlying causes of the difficulties in managing concept decision making. These conflicts are omnipresent due to the product and organizational complexity and have to be handled by the product developers in their daily work. The thesis identifies key elements for improving an organization’s concept decision making: Create meta-knowledge and awareness regarding what influences the process and the actors in the process since there is a general lack of knowledge regarding one’s own and the organization’s decision-making processes; Ask questions to ensure that aspects, previously neglected, are considered; Provide visualizations to enhance understanding of both process and solutions; Provide vision as guidance in everyday decision making and trade-offs; and Ensure reflections since there is a need for actors in the process to reflect on the own decision-making process. In conclusion, a model to improve the concept decision making in practice is proposed. The model includes a set of proposed activities that are designed to address the previously identified challenges, and was developed in collaboration between researchers and practitioners. / QC 20111019

Diss. (sammanfattning) Linköping : Univ., 2002. / Härtill 5 uppsatser.

Diss. Linköping : Univ., 2002.

Diss. Linköping : Univ., 2003.

Over the past decade, firms in the auto industry have focused much of their attention on new product development performance. This paper reports on a follow-up study to Clark and Fujimoto's research on product development performance in the 1980s. We find that US and European firms have made significant strides in meeting Japanese product development performance. Driving this improvement have been changes in the use of suppliers, in overlapping phases of the development process, and in the type of project management system used. We also find that Korean auto makers are relatively efficient in terms of lead time and engineering productivity, although final design quality is lower. The narrowing of the competitive gap in the management of individual projects may point to product line performance as a future driver of competitive advantage. / Draft

Over the past decade, firms in auto industry have focused much of their attention on new auto product development performance. This paper reports on a follow-up study to Clark and Fujimoto's research on product development performance in the 1980s. We find that U.S. and European firms have made significant strides in meeting Japanese levels of product development performance. Driving this improvement have been changes in the use of suppliers, in overlapping phases of the development process, and in the type of project management system used. We also find that Korean auto makers are relatively efficient in terms of lead time and engineering productivity, although final design quality is lower. The narrowing of the competitive gap in the management of individual projects may point to product line performance as a future driver of competitive advantage. / 1995 Working Paper

Diss. Uppsala : Uppsala universitet, 2009.

This licentiate thesis deals with effective simulation of multibody dynamic systems in the product development process. Previous work to make simulation more effective has concentrated on developing faster calculation methods. Instead, this approach is to make the process of multibody dynamics simulation more effective by structuring of products, simulation models and their usage. Efforts have been made to clarify how computer tools are used in product development in industry today. Insight into the two domains of product development and multibody dynamics is given. These domains have traditionally been separated but the introduction of concurrent engineering and faster computers puts new demands on the integration of computer support and analysis in the development process. A proposal for performing the multibody dynamics methodology in a modular way in the product development process is given based on the performed work.

Entwerfen – Entwickeln – Erleben. Drei zentrale Begriffe aus dem Alltag der Produktentwicklung stehen als Motto über den Beiträgen dieses Buches und sind das verbindende Element zwischen den differenzierten Sichtweisen der einzelnen Autoren zu einem gemeinsamen Gegenstand: Dieser umspannt das weite Feld der Entwicklung und Gestaltung von Produkten von der ersten Idee bis zu deren Benutzung. Dabei ist für den Designer das Ziel allen Entwerfens und Entwickelns das positive Erleben des Produktes durch dessen Benutzer. Aber bereits beim Entwerfen, d. h. dem Schaffen von Neuem, bei dem Ideen generiert und Wege zur Umsetzung in ein Produkt gesucht werden und beim Entwickeln, dem Ausarbeiten, Erproben, Verändern und detaillierten Festlegung aller Produkteigenschaften, möchte der Designer vorwegnehmen, wie das künftige Produkt auf den Nutzer wirken wird. Doch der Designer tut das nicht allein. Die integrierte Produktentwicklung ist ein sehr komplexer Prozess, in dem viele verschiedene Fachdisziplinen eng zusammenarbeiten müssen, um am Markt erfolgreiche Produkte platzieren zu können. Zum Thema Industriedesign in komplexen und interdisziplinären Entwicklungsprozessen wird durch dieses Buch ein weiterer Baustein hinzugefügt. [... aus dem Text]

Esta tese tem como tema o processo de inovação em organizações da indústria de softwares. Foi desenvolvido um modelo de relacionamento e instrumento de avaliação do potencial de inovação em empresas de software. Para tanto, inicialmente, os fatores facilitadores da inovação foram identificados através do estudo da literatura e pesquisa exploratória junto a dez empresas do setor de software na cidade de Pato Branco-PR. Identificados os fatores, o modelo de relacionamento foi construído, apoiado na opinião de especialistas do setor empresarial e acadêmico. A análise do modelo revelou seis fatores essenciais no processo de inovação: Capital intelectual humano, Seleção de projetos promissores, Liderança orientada à inovação, Estrutura financeira, Procedimentos de prospecção de mercado e Utilização de do mercado. O modelo de relacionamento permitiu construir um instrumento de avaliação do potencial de inovação das empresas do setor de softwares. Este instrumento foi aplicado em campo, avaliando o suporte recebido e o desempenho dos fatores facilitadores da inovação em um conjunto de nove empresas. O modelo de relacionamento e correspondente instrumento de avaliação foram verificados através de estudos de correlação e da própria opinião dos especialistas. O modelo de relacionamento e o instrumento de avaliação podem auxiliar as empresas de software a: (i) entender melhor os fatores que influenciam o processo de inovação e seus relacionamentos; (ii) avaliar o potencial de inovação de sua empresa e (iii) estabelecer um plano de ação para desenvolver esse potencial de inovação. / This thesis is about the process of innovation in companies of the software industry. A relationship model and a tool for assessment of the innovation potential in software companies were developed. Initially, the factors that facilitate innovation were identified through a literature review and an exploratory research comprising ten companies of the software industry located at Pato Branco-PR. After the identification of the factors, the relationship model was constructed, supported by the opinion of experts from the business and university sectors. The model analysis revealed six key factors for the innovation process: human intellectual capital, selection of promising projects, leadership for innovation, financial structure, procedures of market research, and use of market feedback. The relationship model allowed the construction of an instrument for assessing the innovation potential of software companies. This instrument was applied in the field, evaluating the received support and the performance factors that facilitate innovation in a set of nine companies. The relationship model and corresponding assessment tool were tested through correlation studies and expert opinion. The relationship model and assessment tool can help software companies to: (i) better understand the factors that influence the innovation process and their relationships, (ii) assess the innovation potential of their company, and (iii) establish an action plan to develop the potential for innovation.