Towards management of challenges in the innovation process : a case study on the application of the interface assessment tool

• Product development projects face a broad range of challenges. In this paper, we report the results of acase study in which the so-called Interface assessment tool was used to assess six key challenges in a commercialproduct development project: 1) market uncertainty, 2) technological uncertainty, 3) product complexity and/ordegree of change in product, 4) production complexity and/or degree of change in production, 5) dispersion betweentechnology development and product development, and 6) dispersion between product development and production.Evaluation of the Interface assessment tool indicates consistency with ideal features that tools should have in order toaid in product development. Furthermore, the collective view of the project team members involved in the assessmentindicates that the Interface assessment tool offers valuable support for identification of uncertainties, establishmentof a joint vision of the project, and minimization of multiple interpretations of the challenges a product developmentteam might face. Consequently, this tool may contribute to sensemaking capability in a product development team.

Nyckelord

innovation

product development

project

challenges

assessment

Publikations- och innehållstyp

vet (ämneskategori)

art (ämneskategori)