Technical Strategies Ltd - Management Consultancy

Technical Strategies Ltd

... improving technical performance ...

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FAQ

Dealing with Business Change is not straight-forward.

Here are some typical questions that frequently come up.

Do you recognise any of these ?

How do you decide if a project is a 'Successful Product Development' ?

A: Of course this means different things for different companies, but in TSLs view can always be considered in two ways - This means both Successful Development (Deliverable is on time, on cost and meets expectations), and a Successful Product - i.e. a product of choice for customers that meets everones expectations.

It is perfectly possible, unfortunately, to develop an unsuccessful product, successfully !

Being realistic, not every product can be a 'star', and we already know what our customers want, so what difference can TSL make to us ?

A: Poor capture of requirements, understanding of market, assessment of the project and its associated risks are the greatest cause of failure, and has the greatest cost and strategic impact. Just eliminating or re-framing one 'risky' project, can save £100k's.

Actually, we've had processes in place for a long time, and they work for us, why should we consider changing them ?

A: You may not need to, and this is one of the first things to come out of the early, no-obligation, discussions. However many companies fail to keep their processes up to date nor continue to develop best practice. The best NPD processes not only provide a solid procedure and documentation framework, but also involve the whole company in continuous improvement.

We can change our processes ouselves, why get someone else in to do it ?

A: It is possible, but takes a great deal of commitment and invariably takes longer. There is also the issue of being too close to the issues involved and day-to-day business will always tend to take priority. Assiging a third party to introduce the systems prevents distraction from the companys business, provides an impartial view and brings in external experience which is simply not avaiable within the company.

Why do TSL call it an 'Integrated Process' ?

A: There is a tendancy for many companies to consider Product Development as 'something Engineering do'. Product definition may typically be led by an individual or a dedicated marketing function. TSLs NPD processes are based on vertical and horizontal processes and widen involvement of the entire company. For example, horizontally, the Manufacturing, Marketing and Engineering functions and solidly involved throughout the entire development cycle. In addition, vertically, Strategic, Approval and Project management activities are all key elements of the methodology.

A Strategically important project for us is suffering major problems, what can we do ?

A; Sometimes it is necessary to apply different rules when a project is strategically important. TSL specialise in 'the strategic and financial analysis of new projects, and include both project and product risk analysis in its' processes. If this is affecting you, please contact us for a no-obligation chat.

It is very frustrating, we have great opportunities, but we are just not changing the way we work quickly enough, how can you help ?

A: As companies grow and move into new areas of business, the challenges change. TSL have extensive experience in leading change in companies ranging from introducing strategic techniques to assess and reduce risks, product roadmapping and market research to the creation and/or development of new Development Teams. A recent case enabled a company to enter the Bluetooth market with no experience. To date revenues of more than £20M have been achieved and the company is now a leader in that market.

There is just not enough time to do everything we need to do. What options do we have apart from just 'keep slogging away' ?

A: A common problem - there never seems to be enough time. However this is usually a sign of poor Project Management where expectations do not match reality. It is essential to be able to realistically assess the relevent factors ina project so that realistic, achievable targets can be set.... and met. Projects like this can frequently be a major cause of demotivation and 'suck away' energy and cash. Call us.

We are already introducing a number of change measures, but it is taking forever and causing distraction from important business. I wish we'd never started - why should we think TSL can do better ?

A: Because we are external to your day-to-day business we can introduce change with minimal effect. We work with you closely to capture your current situation, propose changes, and then focus solidly on implementing them keeping you in the loop at all times. We are not distracted by your day to day business.

We have so much going on, and everything is important - but everything is delayed or suffering technical issues. I am very concerned we will have nothing new to sell this year and we will miss important deadlines - what should we do ?

A: Another common example of project assessment and project management. Of course the best answer is to avoid this from the outset by solid project assessment and ensuring strong Project Management, but the reality is problems do happen and it is essential to prioritise activities and keep results-oriented. TSL have experience in hands-on Project Management or Leadership of large mixed-discipline teams and can provide these when needed, or work with and support / develop existing Project and Engineering Managers.