Goal‐directed development of new products

Abstract

Examines the dramatic change of commercial aircraft manufacturing from the traditional product development method dominated by military heritage and product superiority at the expense of cost and time‐to‐market. Losses by airlines in the 1990s highlighted economic difficulties and left airlines unable to grow and purchase new commercial aircraft. Describes the challenge faced by British Aerospace Regional Aircraft to develop a business‐wide simultaneous engineering programme to improve the managing of engineering products; outlines in detail the goal‐directed product management approach used and describes why this approach was successful.