Enactment of Technology Strategy-Creating and Implementing a Development Strategy (pages 989-1005)

1. What are the three areas of promise associated with the commercialization of new products and processes, that is, of successful development projects? Give a specific example of each.

2. According to Exhibit 2, successful development projects occur when attention and influence by management is allocated at the onset of development projects, not in the prototype building, pilot production, and manufacturing ramp-up phases. Traditionally why is management resources focused at the end phases of the project?

3. What are shortcomings of go/no-go decisions on a handful of projects by senior management? What does the development strategy leadership approach entail?

4. Regarding the widening of the mouth of the funnel theory when creating an aggregate set of projects, it is encouraged to investigate alternatives before making the go/no-go decisions on just a few. How can these costs be justified to pure financial branches of management who may well see this as a waste?

5. State the characteristics of a functional team structure. What type of development project is a functional team structure best suited for?

6. State the characteristics of an autonomous team structure. What type of development project is an autonomous team structure best suited for?

7. State the characteristics of a light weight team structure. What type of development project is a light weight team structure best suited for?

8. State the characteristics of a heavy weight team structure. What type of development project is a heavy weight team structure best suited for?

9. Regarding post project learning, three elements are required to successfully learn from past projects. These are:
Step 1: The need for learning must be recognized
Step 2: Identify, analyze, capture and incorporate lessons learned
Step 3: The additional resources identified in Step 2 for future projects must be allocated
Describe how each of these steps could be executed in a firm.

Comprehensive Questions on Part IV Introduction

Introduction to Part 4; Enactment of Technology Strategy-Creating and Implementing a Development Strategy (pages 989-1005) describes how development projects are traditionally managed and states the bases as to why so many fail and/or not completed on time. It describes six phases of a development project and claims that traditionally management attention and influence is heavy in the end phases of the project when they should be focused at the beginning phases of the project for success. The article suggests the development strategy leadership approach for senior management at the onset of projects in order to determine the best set of projects to pursue. Four team structures are defined with recommendations for the types of development projects each is best suited for. Guidance for post process learning is also presented.

1. How are successful development projects beneficial for a firm?

2. Traditionally why is management resources focused at the end phases of the project?

3. What are the benefits of senior management having a more proactive role in the determination of the correct set of development projects?

4. What are the benefits of an aggregate set of projects?

5. What kind of team structure is best suited for a product whose architecture is modular?

Outcomes

Completing this activity will enable you to :

1. Allocate management attention and influence at the correct phases of the development project

2. Select the optimum aggregate of development projects

3. Structure development teams appropriately, ensuring greatest efficiency

4. Complete successful development projects on time

Instructions

1. Read: Enactment of Technology Strategy-Creating and Implementing a Development Strategy (pages 989-1005)

2. Answer The Comprehensive Questions on Part IV Introduction Assignment questions below and return answers in the assignment drop box.