<p>Organisations tend to focus more and more on product and process development to increase their competitiveness. Several major organisations, among them ABB, have developed models aimed to more effectively control and manage product development processes. ABB is using its standardised model ABB Gate Model for this. The purpose of this thesis is to analyze how the introduction of ABB Gate Model has affected the outcome of decisions and also the decision-making in the product development process. The study is limited to elucidate the version of ABB Gate Model handling product development projects. No deeper study is conducted regarding the information used or the criteria for the gate decisions; instead, the focus is to findelements in basis for the decision- making that have a greater significance for the outcome at some gate or at specific types of gate decisions. The empirical data of the thesis has to a great extent been collected through interviews with respondents from both of the studied units and also the unit in charge of the implementation and development of ABB Gate Model. The study shows that ABB Gate Model does not to any significant extent affect the outcome of the decisions in the product development projects. In general, the same decisions are made as before and projects are seldom cancelled. The foremost effects of ABB Gate Model at the units are: increased clarity and support to the operational work, improved co- ordination between the units functional departments, and contributed to make essential aspects of the product development projects visible and taken into consideration.</p>

Organisations tend to focus more and more on product and process development to increase their competitiveness. Several major organisations, among them ABB, have developed models aimed to more effectively control and manage product development processes. ABB is using its standardised model ABB Gate Model for this. The purpose of this thesis is to analyze how the introduction of ABB Gate Model has affected the outcome of decisions and also the decision-making in the product development process. The study is limited to elucidate the version of ABB Gate Model handling product development projects. No deeper study is conducted regarding the information used or the criteria for the gate decisions; instead, the focus is to findelements in basis for the decision- making that have a greater significance for the outcome at some gate or at specific types of gate decisions. The empirical data of the thesis has to a great extent been collected through interviews with respondents from both of the studied units and also the unit in charge of the implementation and development of ABB Gate Model. The study shows that ABB Gate Model does not to any significant extent affect the outcome of the decisions in the product development projects. In general, the same decisions are made as before and projects are seldom cancelled. The foremost effects of ABB Gate Model at the units are: increased clarity and support to the operational work, improved co- ordination between the units functional departments, and contributed to make essential aspects of the product development projects visible and taken into consideration.