Front-loading problem-solving: implications for development performance and capability

Shorter development lead times, other things being equal, contribute to competitive advantages in many of today´s industries where market needs and available technologies are difficult to predict, rapidly changing or diversified and where novelty is highly valued in the market. In this paper, the authors focus on the identification and solving of development problems during earlier phases of product development-a concept that they define as front-loading-as a way to reduce development time and cost and thus free up resources to be more innovation in the marketplace. Using a problem-solving perspective of product development, they develop a conceptual model of front-loading and present case evidence from development practice