PROVIDING CLARITY AND A COMMON LANGUAGE TO THE “FUZZY FRONT END”
PROVIDING CLARITY AND A COMMON
LANGUAGE TO THE “FUZZY FRONT END”
Eight companies collectively determined a theoretical construct for the Fuzzy Front End of innovation in order to provide a common framework and language; they found that highly innovative companies have a more proficient FFE.
Peter Koen, Greg Ajamian, Robert Burkart, Allen Clamen,
Jeffrey Davidson, Robb D’Amore, Claudia Elkins, Kathy Herald,
Michael Incorvia, Albert Johnson, Robin Karol, Rebecca Seibert,
Aleksandar Slavejkov, and Klaus Wagner front end because, as indicated in Table 1, the nature of the work, commercialization date, funding level, revenue expectations and other factors are fundamentally different (see “What is the Front End?,” page 49).
OVERVIEW: Eight companies that were Process Effectiveness Network members of the Industrial Research
Institute attempted to collectively determine the best practices of the Fuzzy Front End (FFE) of innovation.
Comparing one company’s processes to those of another proved insurmountable because there was neither a common language nor clear and consistent definition of the key elements of the front end. As a result, the group developed a theoretical construct, defined as the New
Concept Development (NCD) model, in order to provide a common language and insights on the front end activities. The model consists of three key parts: five front end elements, the engine that powers the elements, and external influencing factors. Proficiency of the FFE was evaluated at 19 companies by using the NCD model. Highly innovative companies were found to be more proficient in the FFE and in several elements of the NCD model.
It was for these reasons that an Industrial Research
Institute (IRI) project team from eight companies (Air
Products, Akzo Nobel, BOC, DuPont, Exxon, Henkel,
Mobil and Uniroyal Chemical) began studying the front end, with the optimistic objective to develop a list of best practices for the FFE. The team members,
LANGUAGE TO THE “FUZZY FRONT END”
Eight companies collectively determined a theoretical construct for the Fuzzy Front End of innovation in order to provide a common framework and language; they found that highly innovative companies have a more proficient FFE.
Peter Koen, Greg Ajamian, Robert Burkart, Allen Clamen,
Jeffrey Davidson, Robb D’Amore, Claudia Elkins, Kathy Herald,
Michael Incorvia, Albert Johnson, Robin Karol, Rebecca Seibert,
Aleksandar Slavejkov, and Klaus Wagner front end because, as indicated in Table 1, the nature of the work, commercialization date, funding level, revenue expectations and other factors are fundamentally different (see “What is the Front End?,” page 49).
OVERVIEW: Eight companies that were Process Effectiveness Network members of the Industrial Research
Institute attempted to collectively determine the best practices of the Fuzzy Front End (FFE) of innovation.
Comparing one company’s processes to those of another proved insurmountable because there was neither a common language nor clear and consistent definition of the key elements of the front end. As a result, the group developed a theoretical construct, defined as the New
Concept Development (NCD) model, in order to provide a common language and insights on the front end activities. The model consists of three key parts: five front end elements, the engine that powers the elements, and external influencing factors. Proficiency of the FFE was evaluated at 19 companies by using the NCD model. Highly innovative companies were found to be more proficient in the FFE and in several elements of the NCD model.
It was for these reasons that an Industrial Research
Institute (IRI) project team from eight companies (Air
Products, Akzo Nobel, BOC, DuPont, Exxon, Henkel,
Mobil and Uniroyal Chemical) began studying the front end, with the optimistic objective to develop a list of best practices for the FFE. The team members,
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