Structuring the Development of a New Product an Application of Operations Research Techniques

A manufacturer of electrical equipment intends to introduce a new product in a market within two years. The company devised a plan and devoted a substantial part of its R&D capacity to develop this new product. However, as the work continues, the plan must be reevaluated due to previously unforeseen technical difficulties. Furthermore, first contacts with future customers initiate additional changes in the technical design. The evolving nature of this development process necessitates a flexible planning procedure.