Product Development Recipes

December 20, 2024

Jon

Adaptability, AI, AI in Development, AR, AR/VR, Innovation, Process Optimization, product development, Repeatability, Team Collaboration, VR

Agile and Lean, APQP, Business, Communications, Configuration Management, Human Resources, Leadership, Learning Organization, Management, Manufacturing, Organization Development, Process Improvement, Product Development, Project Management, Prototype, Quality, Requirements Management, Scrum, Verification

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Recipes for Success and the Limits of Repeatability

by: Jon M. Quigley

Product development is often associated with processes. We would say that these processes are essentially product development recipes.  Product development and the parallels to cooking are undeniable. Both require carefully crafted recipes, skilled cooks, and adaptability when conditions change. But just like high-altitude baking, specific challenges in product development reveal the limits of repeatability—and the importance of collaboration.

Our book illustrates using AR, VR, and modern tools for product development recipes.

The Recipe for Success in Product Development

At its core, a successful product development process follows a proven recipe. Ingredients such as skilled teams, clear objectives, and reliable methodologies combine to create a robust product. The key is repeatability—using established processes to replicate success across different projects.

  • Key Insight: Just like a chef refines recipes to achieve consistent results, teams can optimize their product development recipes for efficiency and quality.

The Role of Other Cooks in the Kitchen

In cooking, the head chef doesn’t work alone. A team of sous chefs, line cooks, and pastry experts ensures the recipe comes together seamlessly. Similarly, in product development, collaboration across departments is crucial.

  • Teamwork: Engineering, marketing, design, and manufacturing each play a unique role, like a sous chef preparing sauces or a line cook perfecting garnishes.
  • Communication: A well-coordinated team ensures each process step aligns with the recipe’s goals. Miscommunication, like missing an ingredient, can derail the final product.

Limits of Repeatability: The High-Altitude Challenge

Not all environments are created equal. In cooking, high altitudes disrupt the balance of ingredients, requiring recipe adjustments. Similarly, unique challenges like market shifts, technological constraints, or unforeseen manufacturing hurdles can disturb even the most well-oiled product development processes.

  • Key Insight: Repeatability works best in controlled environments, but adaptability is crucial for success in changing conditions.

Tools for Adaptation in Product Development Recipes

  1. AR/VR Technologies:
    Enhance prototyping and visualization to address uncertainties early. Think of AR/VR as the instant-read thermometer of product development.
  2. AI and Analytics:
    Use AI to predict outcomes and optimize processes, much like using a mixer to achieve consistent batter texture.
  3. Continuous Learning:
    Foster a learning culture to iterate and improve processes, akin to a chef experimenting with spices to perfect a dish.
  4. 3D Printing:
    Enables rapid prototyping of hardware components and cost-effective exploration of multiple recipe incarnations.

Balancing Creativity, Structure, and Team Dynamics

While recipes provide structure, creativity fuels innovation, and teamwork ensures execution. Encourage cross-functional teams to bring diverse perspectives, like collaboration in a busy kitchen. From experience, the recipe and work instructions will require alteration based on circumstances. For example:

  • At 5,000 feet above sea level, water boils at approximately 95°C (203°F).
  • At 10,000 feet, it boils at about 90°C (194°F).

This change in boiling temperature has practical implications:

  1. Cooking: Foods that require boiling take longer to cook at higher altitudes because the lower boiling point means water is less effective at transferring heat. Adjustments in cooking time or pressure (e.g., pressure cookers) are necessary.
  2. Product Development Parallel: As altitude affects boiling, external factors (like market conditions or technological constraints) impact product development processes. Processes designed for one “altitude” (market or environment) may not work effectively in another, requiring adaptations to maintain efficiency and quality.

Key Takeaways

  • Product development recipes (processes) are essential for consistency and quality.
  • Collaboration among “cooks in the kitchen” ensures the recipe’s success.
  • Frequent tasting helps ensure the final product meets expectations (analog to iterations and testing)
  • Challenges like high-altitude baking demonstrate the need for adaptability in processes.
  • Tools like AR, VR, and AI enable flexibility and innovation in the face of uncertainty.

 

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Post by Jon Quigley