3.3.4 Final integration

The final step in product commercialisation is to bring together the knowledge from the design and the testing and to decide if the product is feasible; if it is, how it should be launched on the market. Integration is vital at this stage so that the launch can be efficient and effective (Andreasen and Hein, 1987). Obviously good decision making by top management is also vital, but management can only make decisions with the knowledge provided. The integrated knowledge is shown in Fig. 3.13.

Fig. 3.13 Integration of product commercialisation.

The strategic orientation and the organisational capability are detailed at this stage. It is useful to develop a method of problem solving which can be introduced to everyone before the launch. Problems nearly always do occur in a launch and it is necessary to have a method of solving them to reduce both the chances of failure and the time taken for problem solving.

Think Break 1. For your product designed in the last Think break, identify the aims, constraints and outcomes for the product commercialisation. 2. According to your expertise and knowledge, design the production, distribution or marketing. Ask some colleagueswith different expertise to design the areas outside your knowledge. 3. Integrate the three design areas to give the total product/ production/ distribution/ marketing of the product commercialisation. 4. Evaluate the integrated design for its effectiveness in achieving the project aims and for obeying the constraints on the project.