Chapter 3

Question 1

What is product development?

Answer 1

Is a process of bringing a new product into the market.

Question 2

What are the stages of the product life cycle?

Answer 2

1. Introduction stage
2. Growth stage
3. Maturity stage
4. Decline stage

Question 3

Explain the introduction stage.

Answer 3

This is where the product is being launched to the market.
Marketing and advertising is used to make consumers aware of the benefits and features and to promote the product to consumers to generate demand.
Sales are very slow during this stage.

Question 4

Explain the growth stage.

Answer 4

This is where the sales start to increase due to an increase in consumer demand. More competition arises meaning that the firm needs to be promoting the product more.

Question 5

Explain the maturity stage.

Answer 5

This is the most profitable stage of the life cycle. Therefore improvements can be made to existing products in order to increase consumer demands.

Question 6

Explain the decline stage.

Answer 6

This stage is where the sales drop due to a decrease in consumer demand. New products are developed in this stage.

Question 7

What are the five steps of selecting a supplier?

Answer 7

1. Understand your business needs.
2. Conduct market research.
3. Evaluate your potential suppliers based on their ability to meet your business needs.
4. Make a portfolio outlining the benefits of working with the supplier.
5. Negotiate the terms and conditions of a contract.

Question 8

What are the phases of the design process?

Answer 8

1. Planning phase
2. Concept development phase
3. Systems design phase
4. Detailed design phase
5. Testing and improvement phase
6. Production initialization phase

Question 9

Explain the planning phase.

Answer 9

All practicals and technological requirements are investigated.

Question 10

Explain the concept development phase.

Answer 10

Look at the target market of your product or service.

Question 11

Explain the system design phase

Answer 11

Systems that will be affected need to be redesigned and modified in order to allow for the new products to be developed.

Question 12

Explain the detail design phase.

Answer 12

Specifications are captured and materials are specified.

Question 13

Explain the testing and improvement phase.

Answer 13

Protocols are developed and the performance is evaluated.

Question 14

Explain the production initialisation phase

Answer 14

The actual production begins with the labour force being trained.

Question 15

What are the steps of house of Quality?

Answer 15

1. Identify the customer wants and needs.
2. Relate the customers needs and wants to the firms how’s.
3. Identify the relationship between the firms how’s.
4. Develop the importance ratings.
5. Evaluate competing products.
6. Determine

Question 16

What is Robust Design?

Answer 16

Is the scientific approach to designing a product or service to ensure that the performance goals are met.
Example
*Variation must be kept at a minimum

Question 17

What are the factors that influence the need for a new product/service?

Answer 17

1. Economic factors such as the percentage of employment, inflation and economic growth.
2. Technology advances
3. Legal and political changes
4. General changes and improvements

Question 18

What influences the future of design process?

Answer 18

1. The economy
2. Competitive pressure
3. Social trends

Question 19

The importance of the customer in product/service design.

Answer 19

1. An understanding of key customers, customer groups, market and potential customers.
2. An understanding of the ‘voice of the customer’, the short term and longer term needs and expectations of the customer. This will enhance the design, process and the delivery process.
3. Building customer relationship through commitments that promote trust and confidence.
4. An effective complaint management process where customers can quickly and easily comment or complain and receive a quick resolution to their problems.