Recommendations to Improve the Product Management Process of the Case Company
Palenius, Juha (2020)
Palenius, Juha
2020
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Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-202005067513
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-202005067513
Tiivistelmä
The objective of the study is to recommend improvements for the product management process of the case company. The case company has increased the focus on product management in addition to project design engineering. The product management process is fairly new concept in the case company and therefore the process is unclear and its key performance indicators are not yet established.
The research approach of the study is design research and the study includes four stages. The first stage is a current state analysis gathering the strengths and weaknesses of the product management process. The second stage is a literature review of the existing knowledge and best practices, based on the identified weaknesses and compiled into the conceptual framework. The third stage is a co-creation effort of the initial recommendations for the process improvement utilizing the outcomes from previous stages. The fourth and last stage is a validation round of the initial recommendations by the senior management providing the feedback to finalize the process improvement recommendations. In addition, a recommendation for an implementation plan was created.
Several process strengths and weaknesses were identified during the study. Findings were distributed evenly throughout the process and therefore the improvements were sought for the whole process. All the findings and the recommendations were divided into rational categories. The five weakness categories were process description and specification, prioritization, communication, key performance indicators, and work coordination and team lead. There is potential to improve the overall process by improving the operation within each category.
The outcome of this study, the final recommendations, provide a comprehensive set of actions to improve the product management process when implemented. By improving the process which involves the key experts and engineers of the product line these key resources are allowed to perform more efficiently and therefore able to handle more tasks in benefit of the value stream. Improvement of the product management process benefits all the functions, business units and ultimately the customers.
The research approach of the study is design research and the study includes four stages. The first stage is a current state analysis gathering the strengths and weaknesses of the product management process. The second stage is a literature review of the existing knowledge and best practices, based on the identified weaknesses and compiled into the conceptual framework. The third stage is a co-creation effort of the initial recommendations for the process improvement utilizing the outcomes from previous stages. The fourth and last stage is a validation round of the initial recommendations by the senior management providing the feedback to finalize the process improvement recommendations. In addition, a recommendation for an implementation plan was created.
Several process strengths and weaknesses were identified during the study. Findings were distributed evenly throughout the process and therefore the improvements were sought for the whole process. All the findings and the recommendations were divided into rational categories. The five weakness categories were process description and specification, prioritization, communication, key performance indicators, and work coordination and team lead. There is potential to improve the overall process by improving the operation within each category.
The outcome of this study, the final recommendations, provide a comprehensive set of actions to improve the product management process when implemented. By improving the process which involves the key experts and engineers of the product line these key resources are allowed to perform more efficiently and therefore able to handle more tasks in benefit of the value stream. Improvement of the product management process benefits all the functions, business units and ultimately the customers.