Part
2, Chapter 4
The knowledge base for product development
4.3 Necessary knowledge for product development
To change the product idea concept into a new product, knowledge of the raw materials, processing, product qualities, consumer/product reactions, marketing and the general environment is needed, as shown in Fig.
4.5.
Fig. 4.5 Knowledge for conversion of product concept to new product.
These knowledge areas are all interacting. For example, processing knowledge
affects the knowledge of raw materials; if low temperature drying were chosen,
the microbiological quality of the raw materials must be carefully controlled
to ensure safety in the product. So it is not a case of seeking knowledge
specifically in one area, but interacting this with knowledge in another
area. The consumer may wish to have the liquid in a bottle, but only cartons
can be used in the processing line, so one has to discover how the consumer
reacts to a carton and how they would accept cartons. The descriptions of
the product by the consumer have to be changed into quantitative terms in
the product qualities; so there is need for knowledge of the consumer's needs
and wants on product attributes and also the methods of measuring these
attributes.
Central to the activities are the two important areas of the
consumer and the technology, but there also needs to be knowledge of the
environment. Knowledge of the consumer is detailed in Chapter
5.
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