What steps can you take to become a Product R&D subject matter expert?

There few steps to become subject matter expert in NPD Domain: 1- First and foremost, you have to get your fundamentals right. 2- Get some real-time experience in the particular domain. 3 – Perform segment/comparison analysis and benchmarking to capture and pinpoint the most impactful improvement areas. 4.- Keep yourself updated, follow trends, keep learning new things. 5- Try unconventional methods, I am very conscious of trying these methods, they usually turn out to be innovative solutions to complex problems. 6- Last but not least, if one finds the right mentors and colleagues ,whom he can get valuable advice and feedback. It makes life easier and reduces the time to find effective solutions, for all the product development phases.

R&D means deep knowledge of the product according to product reference standards, customer requirements,and future scope of product. R&D is responsible for cost reduction,competition of product, Safety of the end-user, safety of the environment,easy to use and easy to produce. R&D is responsible for guidelines,SOS,WIP for good quality products because he is the master of the product.other team to follow these guidelines and QAPs as decided for the product. The R&D team has deep knowledge of materials specifications, utilization of materials,cost effectiveness and suitability of materials. R&D has deep knowledge of product testing, standard requirements for testing,study of other companies products,make prototypes,test review,ensure results.

To be an excellent research and development professional you need typically possess sharp analytical skills, problem-solving abilities, intellectual curiosity, effective communication skills, creative thinking, perseverance in the face of challenges, adaptability to new technologies and methods, and a solid educational foundation. The ability to work in teams, manage projects, and stay updated with advances in the field is also crucial.

A Product R&D subject matter expert (SME) is an employee with a high level of domain expertise. SMEs are involved in all decisional points that concern a product, technology, or process. They can provide guidance and insights from discovery through launch.

When building a prototype(usually customer driven), I always ask myself why, when, where, and how. There are smaller questions I ask myself, but these are the main ones. -Why is the customer using this material/idea? Which leads to: Is there a better material to use to obtain their goal? Are they open to changes in materials/ideology? -When am I implementing the material/idea into the prototype? As a primary , secondary, or final process? -Where am I adding the material/idea? Is it compatible with the design or tolerances in the place where it will be added? -How will I process the material/idea? Is it feasible? Can the process be easily transferred and learned in a production instead of R&D environment?

Beyond work experience, identify a patent in your area and understand the what and the how. Getting into the author's mindset will not only facilitate a deeper understanding of the subject matter, but how a problem was identified and what solution is being offered.

A experiência prática em projetos de P&D, é crucial para nos permitir refletir sobre os aspetos empíricos por forma a maximizar o conhecimento e o crescimento profissional e reduzir erros. Uma das técnicas que adicionei nas equipas, para chegar a mais conclus?es no inicio, s?o a dos "porquês" de Sakichi Toyoda, que nos permitem mais rápido conseguir ter maior clareza do que se pretende desenvolver, e em simultaneo ajuda todos a crescer mais rápido pela partilha de conhecimento.

Specializing in specific areas of interest within Product R&D is crucial for acquiring deep expertise. By focusing on niche domains like ingredient technology or process engineering, professionals can master complex concepts and techniques. This specialized knowledge enhances their ability to tackle challenges effectively and positions them as trusted authorities. Moreover, building a portfolio showcasing achievements serves as tangible evidence of expertise. These accomplishments contribute to establishing credibility and trust among peers and stakeholders.

Understand the global OEM’s technology roadmap/ market need / industry norms etc Benchmark the competition if any Interact with Customers / end users with your thought process Create concept / POC based on voice of customer. Show case technology to end users and have their feedback for improvement. Finally offer to customers with your expertise and survey data

When I was a young product Product Development Chemist learning what PD development was all about ….there were several seasoned principal chemists that had a combined experience of 152 years of experience in designing products! I was on year 1 or 2 at that time. I sought their feedback, support, requested mentoring moments. Anything I could do to learn what I did not learn in college and grad school. Their willingness to share and teach day in and day out made all the difference in my growth and development and acquiring expertise. I try not to forget and try to do as much as I can to pass it on to the experts of the future.

Accept the reality of the saying that "no one knows it all", we live and learn everyday. Growth stops when learning stops. Constructive feedback gives opportunities for learning and growth. Don't hesitate to ask for feedback.

No products in this world that appear out of thin air. Everything comes from an upgrade of something else or a combination of several things. A crucial theory is don't underestimate any of those that seem insignificant small products. Their birth is often based on the most basic needs that determine the essence of the product, the R&D can not be separated from the essence of product design. So whether it's a mentor or an expert, my experience is that the best product mentor is life, what problem does your product solve? What problems are optimized? How many people (the market) recognize you? Believe me, among the awesome mentors and experts, they are just one person. And they're obviously not the only ones you're selling your product to.

Seek Mentorship: Find mentors within the industry who can provide guidance, advice, and support as you progress in your career. Learn from their experiences and insights to accelerate your learning and professional growth.

Participation in technical discussions and welcoming feedback helps fine tune the idea. It helps one to be expert and expert opinion is authenticated in such technical sessions.

Keep in touch with leading subject experts. Learn to execute ideas . Develop prototypes and check for the performance both in house and pilot. Learn from failure and try to improve the product performance in real world conditions

Business development has an effective role in this step where they cooperate with R&D department to create a proposal for best innovations and plan for the best practice for the product development. I believe that this is one of the most important steps to be considered druing products development.

One often overlooked aspect when staying at the forefront of any technology is why. Many times newsletters, magazines, trade shows, etc. keep you up to date with the what or how. But to be truly innovative you need to understand why the technology does and works the way it does. Once one understands why, one can imagine new ways of using that innovation to accomplish new goals. By testing out the why something does what it does keeps you at the forefront. You become the thought leader and you are at the leading edge of the innovation.

A way to stay updated and step out of your research bubble is to explore other segments. This will bring innovation insights and experiences that will help you develop innovative things.

In my opinion, continuously educate yourself on advancements in your field of interest. Attend conferences, read journals, and follow industry experts to stay abreast of new technologies and methodologies.

While it's important to have a general theory about how a problem will be solved, strict application of the scientific method will challenge your biases (we are only human). Let the data guide your conclusions and avoid getting emotionally attached to a desired solution.

Train yourself to feel uneasy about not knowing something. We all have a very powerful research tool at our fingertips and there’s no excuse to not scratch that curiosity itch. Second, try to make connections with everything you learn. By that I mean, try to imagine as many things as you can that could be related to the thing you just learned. Developing this discipline can help improve creativity problem solving and out of box thinking. Lastly, I’ll add that if you can, try to demonstrate (even if just to yourself) the thing you just learned; solder a circuit, bend some sheet metal, mix some chemicals (safely)…essentially tinker and you’ll remember it both theoretically and practically.

Becoming a product R&D (Research and Development) expert involves acquiring both knowledge and practical skills in various disciplines.

This is key. Part of being an R&D 'expert' is admitting that you're never truly an expert. Fields and markets are constantly evolving, so it's dangerous to assume you're at the pinnacle of your knowledge or understanding. Humility and a growth mindset go a long way.

Continuous experimentation and learning are essential for mastering Product R&D. A critical approach involves challenging assumptions, which expands our perspectives and fuels innovation. By testing and questioning limiting assumptions, we can unlock new insights and create groundbreaking products.

R&D is not an easy area as you're moving in an unstable and unknown area/field/technology. It is about working in a systematic manner, with clearly defined project targets, following a general strategy and accepting failing as a possible result. Only by failing you will learn how to fix and to improve.Thus, it is difficult and requires consistency, standing many times and testing and testing again. Becoming an R&D expert requires years of experience and having a significant list of sucess and fails to keep looking forward and not giving up when bad experiences happen.

Even if you have the subject matter expertise, getting your team to see you as a resource is another hurdle that the R&D project manager must overcome. Over 12 years of building and establishing R&D expertise have taught me that the key to becoming a valuable resource is building trust and credibility through strong collaborative relationships with the team. Strategies include: - volunteer assistance - mentor - problem-solve/ brainstorm together

Don’t seek to become an expert at product development, seek rather to develop useful products. Whether an individual contributor, team lead, project manager, development executive – produce (do) something! Go through the failures and successes with all the dynamics involved. Put in the 10,000 hours of persistence with a portfolio of successes and failures. Besides helping humanity with the fruits of your labor contributing to useful products, you will end up with the experience necessary to take on more challenging developments and to help others (avoid the title expert – pride goeth before a fall).

The best advice that propels me everyday is a simple notion that is paraphrased as such: conscious effort influences the unconscious mind. By making choices everyday, you shape the world around you and the path to your goals changes based on the energy being input.

As a food scientist aspiring to become an R&D subject matter expert, -focus on obtaining a strong educational foundation in food science or a related field. -Gain hands-on experience through internships or roles in food product development. -Stay updated with advancements in food technology, engage in industry conferences, and build a network within the food science community. -Additionally, consider pursuing advanced degrees or certifications to further enhance your expertise in product research and development within the realm of food science.