How do you learn from product R&D failures and successes?

Failures provide invaluable lessons; it’s critical to analyse them to identify root causes with diverse cross functional teams ,adapt strategies accordingly, and use the experience to improve future endeavors. Embrace failure as a stepping stone to success. Staying relevant in R&D, prioritise continuous learning, staying updated on industry trends and research in diverse areas, networking with professionals and organisations and engaging in collaborative projects to enhance skills and knowledge is critical

1. In my experience always start with a proper business case before you release the project into your company. a. Does it meet your minimum volume requirement, is it a commodity or specialty within your factory regarding volume/GP. b. Price calculation based on RM + conversion cost + factory mark up + additional cost and profit. c. Make a analysis in terms of success keeping in mind e.g., feasibility, upscaling, possible future game changers in the long term.

The success or failure of new product ( specially those who have undergone thorough NPD process) as i had observed is mainly dependent on how Marketing promote a product. Nevertheless, it's a good chance to analyze the aftermath and think of a better strategies for the next projects to come.

By actively learning from both failures and successes, R&D teams can adapt, innovate, and improve their processes. Learning from Failures: 1) Conduct thorough post-mortem analysis & enable open discussion 2) Document failure cases . 3)Go beyond surface-level issues for root cause analysis. 4)Foster learning culture . 5)Encourage team members to share insights from failures. 6) Celebrate lessons learned & implement changes Learning from Successes: 1) Analyze successful projects thoroughly. 2) Document best practices contributing to success. 3) Encourage the replication of success factors in future projects. 4) Facilitate knowledge transfer. 5)Celebrate achievements 6) Compare successful projects against industry benchmarks & standards.

I believe it holds true everything revolves around how you perceive something’s and then how you mould your perspective with respect to that In R and D scenario , if I convey my experience has been completed remarkable as I got to work with the best of minds and I being in my position tried my best to get most out of it The way things were done on daily basis was splendid little did I know in my initial days of journey is everything revolves around your will and wish If you have a growth mindset you will flourish and learn the best And if not it’s a 9 to 8 job with extra hours no appreciation no learning This is for all freshers and graduates who are going to come out of their universities and colleges

In my opinion instead of categorizing it as Failure or success we should look it as new experience. It will unfold unexplored areas within an individual if accepted positively. This experiance will always help an individual to get one step closer to target.

Aprendo com os fracassos e sucessos em P&D ao analisar cuidadosamente cada etapa, identificando lições aprendidas e aplicando essas insights para aprimorar futuros projetos. A adaptação contínua é fundamental para impulsionar a inovação e alcançar resultados mais eficazes em pesquisas e desenvolvimento de produtos.

If you are a good researcher you will fail several times. But you learn from those failures. In my career as a researcher several times we got unexpected results which in essence could be marked as “failures”. By properly analyzing with a “why” led to several new patents and high impact publications for creating value and revenue to the company. However the management should encourage such a cultures in industries, especially most companies today are looking for ROI rapidly. Hence recruiting the right people with critical thinking and curiosity, communicating with the leadership to understand the R& D culture and motivating the team can lead to a big success even when we fail a few times.

One thing I will insist all R&D Professionals who are working for NPD , Practicing Data driven decision making process for Technical and managerial aspects will increase probabilities of Success.

One real-world constraint that puts objective data collection and analysis at risk is the fact that there needs to be output goals (deliver a "product) placed on an R&D organization. The stakes to deliver have to be real in order for the group to produce substance. That output, then, can sometimes imperil the data collection and analysis that is crucial to learning from the process. There has to be commitment from the whole organization to support the effort. The R&D team has to also be working on more than a single project so that, when delivery is crucial, the whole organization doesn't break. And lastly, there has to be dedication to delivering those learnings so that the experience can be valued and connected to new projects.

2. Who is the owner of the project! a. Make sure that your organization is clearly structured in terms of project execution and roles and responsibilities! b. For a business to consumer project from idea to launch; who is the owner? Marketing? c. For a business-to-business project from design to launch; who is the owner? Sales? R&D? d. Or do we hire a (technical) project manager or product manager?

An example of doing this could be with the use of some basic techniques like doing TGR/TGW analysis (things gone right/things gone wrong), this can result the outcome in the form of lessons learnt from the whole development process which can then be used as baseline benchmark when considering similar product development.

Many product development organizations have been preoccupied by the mindset of “competing” with their competitors instead of truly innovating. Instead they should focus on the “why” behind their products. Understanding why people use a product and what problems it solves is the key to successful R&D. Asking the question “why the product needs to exist and what would customers do if it doesn’t exist” may lead to breakthroughs when considering new products. By focusing on the customer's problems instead of the competition’s offerings, companies can create products that provide unique and compelling value. Consistently taking this approach will lead to differentiation in the marketplace and creation of a much stronger brand identity.

"Absolutely agree! As an R&D professional in engineering products, I've learned that success or failure isn't just about technical prowess, but also about fostering an innovation-focused mindset among management, sponsors, and all stakeholders. Prioritizing customer-centric innovation over blind competition is key to ensuring the success of new products. Let's keep pushing the boundaries of what's possible! 👏 #Innovation #Engineering"

De mon expérience personnelle les principaux succès ou erreurs d'un processus remontent avant le fameux cahier des charges, je veux dire au niveau du cahier des besoins. Cette étape consiste a donner envie au futur utilisateur de parler de ses rêves ( bien évidemment à l'écouter lui et les autres), mais aussi avec la veille concurrentielle. C'est deux des étapes cruciales avant de démarrer et donc des facteurs importants. Néanmoins même avec beaucoup d'expérience la r&d n'est jamais "un long fleuve tranquille".....

New product or enhancements? You need to involve as many different departments as possible Seek their advice and involve then in Design Reviews Manufacturing needs Special considerations Also consider Field service and parts affected People working on the shop floor have always contributed to my success I had many a New Project that used the feedback Evan a total rework as it was too difficult for production Or the total new cost out-ways the implementation of the new part or process It’s always difficult to get the costing from a purely Design Environment Don’t forget the old saying “It Looked Great in Cad” but failed in the real world