IDEO Product Development
1. Does IDEO practice the four essentials for enlightened experimentation as described in the Thomke article assigned with the case? Explain how the company does or does not practice each of the four essentials.
2. Does IDEO's culture fit well with their corporate mission? Is it effective?
3. Identify all alternative actions IDEO could take with respect to the Visor project. Discuss the pros and cons of each alternative for IDEO. Briefly discuss pros and cons of each from Handspring's perspective as well.
4. Recommend an action for IDEO regarding the Visor project. Explain the rationale for your decision.
Bank of America
1. How would you characterize Bank of America's new system for developing new services? Focus on its process, organization, management and culture.
2. Compare Bank of America's approach to IDEO's product development system using the same variables as in question one. What are the differences and similarities? Discuss the differences in developing new services vs. developing new products. Apply some of the concepts from the assigned article.
3. What is the role of experimentation? How can companies maximize heir learning from experimentation?
4. Should Butler and Brady accept ten additional bank barnches into its experimentation portfolio? Outline pros and cons of each alternative and make a recommendation. Discuss your specific plans regarding how they should respond to management's offer.
Pepcid AC: Racing to the OTC Market
1. Why does Merck want to switch Pepcid to OTC status when the patent is good for another six years? When is the optimal time to switch?
2. Do you predict cannibalization of prescription Pepcid and
of
Mylanta? Support your prediction.
Why did JJM buy Mylanta if they were planning to switch Pepcid AC to
OTC status?
3. Describe concept testing done by JJM and evaluate their efforts based on the article you read on concept testing.
4. How important is positioning in this market? What are the relative merits of positioning Pepcid as a "treatment" as opposed to "prevention" for hearburn/indigestion?
5. What should JJM do regarding the FDA and Pepcid AC? Be sure to identify and evaluate each possible alternative and make a recommendation.
MarketSoft
1. Describe the key stages in the lead management process MarketSoft is attacking and the key stages in the process MarketSoft is using to understand the customer (use flowcharts, lists, or other method to show)
2. Interpret the needs of MarketSoft's prospective customers using exhibit 6.
3. Using the reading assigned, Understanding User Needs, suggest additional research MarketSoft perhaps should do or ways they should revise their market research process.
4. What are the top three strengths and weaknesses of MarketSoft's product development process?
5. How have Erman and Benovich-Gilby created value at each stage of the venture?
6. What are the top three problems MarketSoft should worry about as it heads to PCForum?
Innovation at 3M Corporation
1. How has 3M's innovation process evolved since the company was founded? Why, if at all, does 3M, known as a "hothouse" of innovation, need to regain its historic closeness to the customer?
2. How does the Lead User research process differ from and complement other traditional market research methods?
3. Has the Medical-Surgical team applied the Lead User research process successfully? Why or why not?
4. What should the Medical_Surgical Lead User team recommend to Dunlop: the three new product concepts or a new business strategy? What are the risks to the new Lead User process at 3M? What are the risks to the Medical-Surgical business unit?
Hewlett Packard: The Flight of the Kittyhawk
1. List some strengths and weaknesses of the way Hewlett-Packard structured and supported the Kittyhawk development team.
2. Evaluate the way the team set out to find a market for the Kittyhawk. What correct turns, and what wrong turns did they make?
3. Use one or more tools suggested in "Knowing a Winning Business Idea when you see one" to show how Hewlett-Packard might have been able to predict failure for the Kittyhawk.
4. What do you think are the root causes of the failure of the Kittyhawk program? How could HP have possibly avoided its fate by addressing these root causes? Provide at least one possible solution for each root cause (at least three) that you identify.
Product Development at Dell Computer
1. What competitive forces are shaping the computer industry in 1993?
2. Describe the state of Dell prior to and in 1993.
3. Why has Dell's senior management introduced the new 18-month development process? What are they trying to change or improve? Compare the old and new development processes (a comparison table would be best for this part). Which method would the author of "Stage Gate Systems" prefer and why?
4. Which battery option should Holliday's team select?
Or
should they defer the decision until the qualification phase review?
Discuss advantages and disadvantages of each option and make a
recommendation.
Living on Internet Time
1. Describe the similarities and differences between the four product development approaches described in the case. Use a table to outline the differences. What drives the differences? Try to explain reasons for as many of the differences and similarities as you can.
2. Which product development process do you feel is superior? Why?
3. Which company would you most want to work for? Why?
4. What lessons from the Internet environment can be applied to other industries (e.g., packaged goods, cars, fashion, etc.)?
Microsoft Office: Finding the Suite Spot
1. How successful is the Office 2000 project? Analyze the project's success on a number of different criteria.
2. Critique the process through which Office 2000 was developed. Specifically, how did the team resolve uncertainty in the early stages of development? What role did Milestones and Daily Builds play in development?
3. Does Microsoft follow the rugby approach suggested in the reading? If so, in what way?
4. How has Microsoft's approach to development changed over the last ten years? What factors have driven these changes?
5. What should Sinofsky do? Analyze at least two alternatives and be specific in your recommendations.
Le Petit Chef
1. What should Gagne do? Specifically, which projects
should she fund and why?
2. How should Gagne handle the executive meeting?
3. What factors explain Le Petit Chef's poor
performance? What actions would you recommend to remedy the
situation? Be sure to include concepts from the assigned reading
in your analysis).
Project Dreamcast: Serious Play at
Sega Enterprises
1. How would you characterize the competitive dynamics in the
videogame industry? What is Sega's competitive strategy and how
has it evolved throughout the company's history?
2. Compare the development of the Saturn and Dreamcast game
platforms. What are the differences and similarities? How
would you evaluate Sega's development capabilities in game software and
hardware development?
3. Does Sega do a good job of identifying and understanding
the threats from its "enemies"? What do you think Rafii and
Kampas (authors of assigned reading) would recommend to Kunihasa at
Sega in terms of competitive analysis?
3. How should Ueno Kunihisa react to NEC's production crisis,
given that only one-third of all expected Power VR2 chips will be
available? Should he delay the launch until the NEC problems are
addressed? Be sure to discuss your specific plans.
Aqualisa Quartz: Simply a Better
Shower
1. What is the Quartz value proposition to plumbers? To
consumers? Has Quartz found new points of differentiation?
(use concepts from MacMillan and McGrath)
2. Why is the Quartz shower not selling?
3. Is Quartz a niche or a mainstream product? Was the
product worth the company's investment?
4. Why does Quartz pursue a multiple brand strategy for
showers? Does this make sense? Why or why not?
5. What should Rawlinson do to generate sales momentum for the
Quartz product? Analyze the options available to him and the pros
and cons of each, then make a recommendation.