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Glossary

product development reference tool

  • 2

  • The regulations in the United States for the Quality System Regulations for Medical Devices. These regulations are maintained by the FDA. Read More

  • a

  • A statement that is accepted as true or as certain to happen, to provide a basis for logical reasoning or decision making. Example: We assume customers will be willing to pay $100. From this, we can reason: At a unit cost of $70, this price will yield a profit of $30 per unit. At a unit(...) Read More

  • b

  • A Black Swan is Nassim Nicholas Taleb’s* term for an event that meets three characteristics:
    1. it happens rarely (perhaps it has never been observed before)
    2. it has an extreme impact, which can be positive or negative in consequence
    3. it is not predictable but in retrospect is easily(...)
    Read More
  • Document created for ideas/concepts entering the Business Case Stage/Phase. The Business Case is more than just an ROI/NPV, it also includes thorough market, technical, manufacturing, financial, risk, and legal assessments. Read More
  • This stage is intended to flesh out the product concept into a winning product definition, and to develop a sound basis for taking the project into the development stage. The major activities during this stage include a cross-functional team working together in building a robust business case.(...) Read More
  • Explains who your customers are and how you plan to make money by providing your customers with value, as opposed to the Business/Competitive Strategy, which explains how you will beat competitors by being different. The Business Model defines Who, What, Where and How: Who are you serving,(...) Read More

  • c

  • Using both qualitative and quantitative methods to determine the technical, financial, and marketing feasibility of a product. This could involve ranking multiple concepts to determine which concept is most likely to succeed and should move forward in the new product development process. Read More
  • The initial phase of concept generation includes the identification of a problem or unmet customer need. Depending on the complexity of the problem, it can be broken into subgroups. The next phase includes trying to solve the problem, and this can be done by a variety of methods including:(...) Read More
  • A process to collect and analyze information, identify and investigate product and quality problems, and take appropriate and effective corrective and/or preventive action to prevent their recurrence. Corrective actions are a response to problems that have already occurred. Preventative(...) Read More
  • The chemical, physical, etc. properties that can be defined, measured, and continually monitored to ensure the final product outputs remain within acceptable quality limits. Read More
  • Expression of the customer or user problem with high level solution requirements. They are often expressed in qualitative terms which are then translated into product requirements or design inputs. Read More

  • d

  • A document used to describe how the new product will be developed and includes elements such as key activities, responsibilities, timing, interfaces between different groups. Read More
  • Deductive reasoning is based on the logic that if something is true for a class of things, it is also true for all members of that class ii (top-down). The investigator starts with a theory and makes predictions based on the theory. Controlled experiments are used to determine whether the(...) Read More
  • The degree of risk is a measurement of risk along a continuum. One end represents no possibility of loss or opportunity (either the probability of occurrence has been eliminated, or we have found a way to circumvent the issue should it occur). The other end represents risks that cannot be(...) Read More
  • Measurement of uncertainty along a continuum. One end represents uncertainties that are resolved (made certain or close enough). The other end represents uncertainties, where obtaining the facts is impossible or too expensive. Example: High uncertainty exists if a company sees an(...) Read More
  • A document used to describe how the new product will be developed and includes elements such as key activities, responsibilities, timing, interfaces between different groups. Read More
  • Any change to the product or manufacturing process design. In Medical Devices, these changes include evolutionary changes such as performance enhancements as well as revolutionary changes such as corrective actions resulting from the analysis of failed product. Read More
  • Set of requirements related to medical device product development and product changes. The requirements are based on good engineering product development processes, product maintenance, and project management processes. The application of design controls to any product may be adjusted based(...) Read More
  • The process of proactively designing products to (1) optimize all the manufacturing functions: fabrication, assembly, test, procurement, shipping, delivery, service, and repair, and (2) assure the best cost, quality, reliability, regulatory compliance, safety, time-to-market, and customer(...) Read More
  • The point in product development when the design is considered ‘done’ and the design is captured as a baseline. In medical devices, changes to the design after this point are tracked and evaluated for impact to meeting intended use, design inputs, and risk management controls. Read More
  • A compilation of the records describing the entire history of the medical device design. It begins prior to development, is maintained through the product life, and includes design documents plus product change documents. Read More
  • The documented product requirements which are used as the basis for the device design. Design inputs are developed by translating the customer needs and requirements into product requirements. Read More
  • The documented results of the design effort which enables verification against the design inputs. FDA: The total finished design output consists of the device, its packaging and labeling, and the device master record. ISO: The final version will include the product requirements used for(...) Read More
  • A documented systematic review of the design. From the FDA’s perspective this should be a system level review and include a review of many key functions within the project based on where the project is in development. Read More
  • Translation of device design to production specifications to ensure the product can be reliably and reproducibly manufactured, and which meets the design safety and efficacy. Read More
  • Documented, objective evidence that the design meets the user needs and the intended use. Read More
  • Documented objective evidence that the design meets the design requirements. Read More
  • A compilation of records containing the procedures and specifications (such as BOM, drawings, manufacturing instructions) for a finished device. Read More
  • Diffusion is defined by Everett Rogers as the process by which an innovation is communicated through certain channels over time among the members of a social system. Some people take longer than others to try out and adopt a new innovation. Read More
  • This is one of the earliest stages in the new product development process. Activities during Discovery include a high level investigation and description of the idea. The description should include an overview of the idea, the problem it will solve, strengths and weaknesses of the idea and(...) Read More

  • e

  • Exploratory Product Development (ExPD) is an adaptable strategy-to-launch product development system that adjusts to internal and external factors, and unique product nuances. ExPD was developed by consultants Mary Drotar and Kathy Morrissey of Strategy 2 Market, Inc. as an alternative to the(...) Read More
  • Exploratory Product Development (ExPD) is an adaptable strategy-to-launch product development system that adjusts to internal and external factors, and unique product nuances. ExPD was developed by consultants Mary Drotar and Kathy Morrissey of Strategy 2 Market, Inc. as an alternative to the(...) Read More

  • f

  • Something that will not change and that acts as a constraint. The business model is usually considered fixed (unless the company is intentionally pursuing new business models). Something that is fixed is also considered known. Example: The company sells its products through a direct sales(...) Read More
  • Flexible Product Development, as explained by Preston Smith in his book Flexible Product Development: Agile Hardware Development to Liberate Innovation, is a set of tools enabling product developers to defer decisions later in the development process. This ability to delay decisions allows(...) Read More
  • The Fuzzy Front End (FFE) is the messy beginning period of product development, when the product idea is still very vague. It precedes the more formal new product development process and generally consists of three tasks: strategic planning, concept generation and concept evaluation. These(...) Read More

  • g

  • Gatekeepers play an important role in the Stage/Phase Gate process. They are the decision-makers that make important project decisions based on strategically driven criteria. It is best practice to have gatekeepers vary based on the stage of the new product development process. Executive(...) Read More
  • Distinct period of time where a cross-functional management team reviews all key deliverables presented by the product development team. The project will encounter a decision point where it can be given a Go (Green), Stop (Red), Recycle (Yellow), Hold (Blue). Read More

  • h

  • A field of study which evaluates the investment in health against the outcomes or benefits for either the individual or society. Investments in health may include costs for testing, diagnosis, and treatment. Outcomes or benefits may include faster recovery, longer life, herd immunity, or more(...) Read More
  • Heuristics provides a process for quick decision-making. Examples of this may include ‘a rule of thumb’ or a ‘best/educated guess.’ Read More
  • Often called ergonomics, it is the science of the interactions between humans and other elements of a system, with the goal of making that interaction easy, safe, and effective. Read More
  • A proposed assumption to be tested, such as in an experiment or by gathering information (e.g. secondary research). Example: We will test our hypothesis that customers are willing to pay at least $75. Read More

  • i

  • Tool created that outlines and explains various programs & techniques for generating new product ideas internally and externally, and for ultimately keeping the new product development pipeline full. Read More
  • Standard covering design reviews. Read More
  • Usually offers a modest enhancement in features or functionality. It commonly extends a product line or fills a minor gap in the existing product line. Read More
  • Individual(s) included in a design review, who is not directly responsible for the design being reviewed, and has sufficient knowledge or experience to evaluate the design objectively. Read More
  • Describes the disease or condition under which the medical device will be used and under what conditions. Read More
  • Inductive reasoning makes broad generalizations from specific observations (bottom-up). The investigator collects observations, finds patterns in the data, makes tentative hypotheses and finally presents a theory or rationale that explains the patterns. Theories generated through inductive(...) Read More
  • An innovation creates value for the customer in a new and unique way. As Peter Drucker said, a product that is different, but does not create new value for the customer, is merely a novelty. A novelty may temporarily capture a customer’s interest because it is different, but it will quickly be(...) Read More
  • Part of medical device labeling which provides the directions on how to use the product and may be physical or electronic. Examples include: label, package insert, and user manual. Read More
  • General information on what the medical device does, who the product is intended for, and how it would be used. Read More
  • Standard which covers the Quality Management System for Medical Devices. It is based on ISO 9001, but contains elements specific to Medical Devices. Read More
  • Standard covering user and patient risk management for medical devices. Read More

  • k

  • The attributes, features or other issues that a customer considers in determining which, if any, product to purchase. Understanding key customer drivers is important in developing products, determining pricing and positioning, and selecting distribution channels. Read More
  • Something that is known with certainty or with little uncertainty. Some things are considered known because we have already gathered the information to resolve the uncertainty satisfactorily (to a level we are comfortable with). Example: We have experience with the user interface software(...) Read More

  • l

  • Referred to as early a dopters of new methods, products and technologies. They provide significant opportunities for introduction of breakthrough products since they are in the forefront of new concepts when compared to the general public. Read More

  • m

  • Market Research is a systematic, objective collection and analysis of data related to a market, customer base, industry, competition, etc. In new product development, market research serves many purposes, such as identifying new product opportunities, understanding customer needs, evaluating(...) Read More
  • A matrix structure organizes people and resources simultaneously, by function and product. Employees with similar skills are grouped together for product work. For example, all engineers may be in one engineering department and report to an Engineering Manager, but these same engineers may be(...) Read More
  • Products which are intended for use in the diagnosis of disease or other conditions or in the cure, mitigation, treatment, or prevention of disease, or is intended to affect the structure or function of the body. The device consists of the actual device and all its packaging and(...) Read More
  • Stage developed to evaluate low risk projects that include simple revisions or cost saving projects. Read More
  • Refers to an organization structure that supports functions that are in separate divisions within an organization. Typically used by an organization/conglomerate whose products are very different between divisions. This structure is advantageous for organizations that have divisions that serve(...) Read More

  • n

  • A network structure is a cluster of different organizations whose actions are coordinated by contracts and agreements rather than through a formal hierarchy. This is analogous to an organization that outsources their major functional areas (e.g. IT, Supply Chain, Manufacturing). Read More
  • In Medical Devices and in the European Union, is an organization that has been accredited by a Member State to assess whether a product meets certain preordained standards. Assessment can include inspection and examination of a product, its design and manufacture. For example, a Notified Body(...) Read More
  • Based on behavioral economics, the Nudge is generally applied in order to influence behavior. For more information, refer to Richard Thaler and Cass Sunstein’s book: Nudge: Improving Decisions About Health, Wealth, and Happiness. Yale University Press, 2008. Read More

  • o

  • Is an activity that is executed in the early stages of the new product development process a.k.a. the Fuzzy Front End (FFE). Prior to the identification of the opportunity, an opportunity/market scan can be performed to determine the best opportunities. Once the opportunity is identified(...) Read More

  • p

  • A tool created by Strategy 2 Market to facilitate the execution and implementation of the new product development process. It includes detailed explanations of each stage of the process including important activities and responsibilities associated with every step within the NPD process",,,,BOK" Read More
  • An alternative phase-gate stage developed to review low risks projects including: Product Revision and Cost Improvement product types. Read More
  • This is a new product development process in which a set of activities and required deliverables are defined for sequential stages/phases. Phases are separated by decision points, or Gates, in which deliverables from the prior phase are evaluated and a decision is made on whether to advance to(...) Read More
  • Separate periods of time where specific tasks are undertaken by the project team and key deliverables are developed to present during the gate meetings. Read More
  • A collection of the common elements, especially the underlying defining technology, implemented across a range of products. In general, a platform is the lowest common denominator of relevant technology in a set of products or a product line. Read More
  • Portfolio Management is a decision-making process where a business’ list of current and proposed new product development projects is continually reviewed and revised. The review usually covers criteria such as strategic alignment, risk, reward and resource availability. Read More
  • The number of portfolio management teams within an organization can vary based on the size. In mid-to-large size companies, two portfolio management teams are common. The first team consists of a “core multi-functional portfolio team” that meets monthly. This team is responsible for scoring(...) Read More
  • This occurs usually prior to the Discovery Stage/Phase. It is a very gentle screen to determine whether an internal or external idea deserves additional resources prior to moving to the Discovery Stage/Phase. Read More
  • An extremely simplified, mocked, or virtual version of a product to test the initial appeal and actual usage of a potential new product by simulating its core experience with the smallest possible investment of time and money. Read More
  • An organizational structure in which centralized support functions service the needs of a number of different product lines. Typically used by organizations whose products are broadly similar and aimed at the same market, such as a food company that produces frozen foods (e.g. pizza,(...) Read More
  • A product portfolio ideally contains projects that represent different product types and levels of risk. You want to balance and maximize the value of the portfolio during the portfolio management process. The portfolio process also provides an avenue to ensure appropriate resource allocation(...) Read More
  • Products that are unchanged in quality or feature set that are marketed with a different set of benefits. An example includes repositioning aspirin as a safeguard during a heart attack as well as a temporary pain reliever. Read More
  • The Product Risk Framework is a tool developed by Mary Drotar and Kathy Morrissey of Strategy 2 Market, Inc. that leads a product development team through a process to identify, evaluate, prioritize, resolve and track uncertainty and risk in developing a new product. The generic tool(...) Read More
  • Defines the future vision and goals for each category, product line and product, as well as a plan for reaching those goals. Generally a product strategy document will address the nature of the product(s), the target markets/segments, the technologies/platforms to be leveraged or developed,(...) Read More
  • An early sample, model, or release of a product built to test a concept or process or to act as a thing to be replicated or learned from. Read More

  • q

  • Is a matrix tool that assists a cross-functional team in translating customer needs into technical requirements. Read More
  • Collection of processes and procedures to ensure that finished medical devices and/or services will be safe and effective for their intended use. Read More
  • A document which defines the scope of the quality system, an outline of the document structure for quality system documents, documented procedures or reference to them, a description of the interactions between the processes of the quality management system. Read More
  • A document which defines the quality practices, resources, and activities relevant to devices that are designed and manufactured. Each manufacturer establishes how the requirements for quality will be met. Read More

  • r

  • Method used to indicate the roles and responsibilities of people or groups on work activities. The acronym stands for Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, and Informed. Read More
  • A method of predicting the future by looking at similar past situations and their outcomes. Read More
  • Resolving Risk - Reducing the underlying uncertainty to an acceptable level. Rarely can all uncertainty be eliminated and sometimes product developers cannot reduce uncertainty, as in the case of competitor activity. If the organization accepts the risk, then it has resolved the(...) Read More
  • Resolving Risk - Reducing the underlying uncertainty to an acceptable level. Rarely can all uncertainty be eliminated and sometimes product developers cannot reduce uncertainty, as in the case of competitor activity. If the organization accepts the risk, then it has resolved the(...) Read More
  • Risk – A state of uncertainty that can result in consequences that may be positive or negative in impact. If there is no meaningful impact, then there is no risk. Sometimes the term risk is used to describe only negative consequences, and opportunity to describe only positive(...) Read More
  • The company’s risk attitude is its willingness to take on risks in order to obtain profits. Example: Virgin Galactic, aiming to provide commercial flights in space, is risk-seeking. They are investing heavily in developing new products and technologies. Whether they will be successful is(...) Read More
  • Summary of risks related user and patient safety, which is usually developed per ISO 14971. Read More
  • Roadmapping is a tool that can be used for planning and depicting your new product and technology acquisition strategies. The output of a product-technology roadmapping exercise is a roadmap that displays market and business needs over time, along with the products, technologies and other(...) Read More
  • The underlying factor(s) which lead to a specific problem. Removal of the factor(s) will prevent the problem from recurring. Read More

  • s

  • Document created to capture a preliminary market, technical, manufacturing, financial, risk, and legal assessment. This document is presented to the gatekeepers during the Scoping Gate. Read More
  • Activities during Scoping include conducting secondary research on the proposed idea. It is quick preliminary assessment that helps determine whether the project is worth pursuing in the next stage/phase. It is too early in the Scoping Stage/Phase to determine any financial metrics like NPV or ROI. Read More
  • The Strategy Canvas is a tool for mapping out white space in strategies. It was popularized by W. Chan Kim and Renee Maubogne in their book Blue Ocean Strategy. This tool visually displays the strategies of firms in a market space, making it possible for the user to identify radically(...) Read More

  • t

  • Defines the set of technologies required by the firm to support the product strategy, the method of acquisition and timing. Technologies can be acquired by various means, including internal development, licensing, joint venture and/or business acquisition. Read More
  • A divisional structure in which specialists from the support functions are combined into dedicated product development teams, this structure is also referred to as a Tiger Team. It is typically used by an organization whose products are very technologically complex or whose(...) Read More
  • Tool used to link customer requirements to design inputs/ product requirements to design outputs and documentation proving the requirements have been satisfied. Read More

  • u

  • Uncertainty – A state of having imperfect or limited knowledge about something, resulting in the potential for surprise or unpredictability. Example: We think customers will be willing to pay around $100. Read More
  • Something that cannot be known. Either it is impossible to know, or gathering the information to make it known is too expensive. Example: We don’t know if new competitors will enter the market. We could send out scouts around the globe to looks for signs of potential competition, but we(...) Read More
  • Sometimes, you don’t know what you don’t know. These are unidentifiable risks that you know nothing about and don’t see coming. You can only identify them after the fact. They are most likely to occur in the part of the project you know the least about and where system interfaces(...) Read More
  • A written description of how users will perform tasks using the product. It outlines, from a user’s point of view, a system’s behavior as it responds to the interaction. Each use case is represented as a sequence of simple steps, beginning with a user’s goal and ending when that goal is fulfilled. Read More

  • v

  • Generally used for testing a design or process to ensure it meets requirements. Read More
  • VOC is a process for gathering and prioritizing needs from customers. It uses indirect questioning to lead interviewees through a series of situations in which they have experienced and found solutions to the set of problems being investigated. The result is a structured hierarchy of needs,(...) Read More

  • w

  • White space is that unexplored and undiscovered domain of opportunity for new products and new markets. Read More