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292 CHAPTER 8 • PRoduCT And sERviCE dEvEloPmEnT And oRgAnisATion
simultaneous development

Earlier we described the development process as a set of individual, predetermined
stages. Sometimes one stage is completed before the next one commences. This step-
by-step, or sequential, approach was traditionally the typical form of product/service
development. It has some advantages: it is easy to manage and control development
projects organised in this way because each stage is clearly defined. In addition, each
stage is complete before the next stage is begun, so each stage can focus its skills and
expertise on a limited set of tasks. The main problem of the sequential approach is
that it is both time consuming and costly. Any difficulties encountered during one
stage might necessitate the design being halted while responsibility moves back to the
previous stage. Yet often there is really little need to wait until the absolute finalisation
of one stage before starting the next. Perhaps while generating the concept, the evalu-
ation activity of screening and selection could be started. It would have to be a crude
evaluation maybe, but nevertheless it is likely that some concepts could be judged as
‘non-starters’ relatively early on in the process of idea generation. Similarly, during
the screening stage it is likely that some aspects of the developing product or service
will become obvious before the phase is finally complete. The preliminary work on
these parts of the design could be commenced before the end of the final screening
and selection process. In other words, one stage commences before the previous one
has finished, so there is simultaneous or concurrent work at the stages (see Figure 8.10).

Figure 8.10 (a) sequential arrangement of the stages in the development activity
(b) simultaneous arrangement of the stages in the development activity

(a)

First stage in the
design activity

Second stage in the
design activity
(b)

First stage in the Third stage in the
design activity design activity

Second stage in the Fourth stage in the
design activity design activity

Third stage in the Development time
design activity compression

Fourth stage in the Communication
design activity between stages

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