Communicating industrial user and management needs to the new product engineering team: A PSYCHOM ´72 paper

This paper deals with the process of coaching a new product development engineering team in the development of a new industrial product. It is assumed that the new product is directed at one of the existing markets of the business rather than at a new venture market; and further, that the market research on which the product is based is fundamentally sound. The methods described have been used for manufactured and assembled electrical, electronic, and mechanical products rather than those products produced by chemical process. The topics covered include: the psychology of coaching; the clarification of the design job and objectives; creating a climate in which the team members are responsive to management objectives and customer needs; identifying problems in the proposed design; reviewing design progress and problems; and working through problems and replanning the program. This paper gives examples and describes methods of communicating and documenting program objectives. It also outlines the responsibilities of marketing and general management in the process of developing new industrial products.