What are the best ways to improve R&D project performance?

One thing that I found helpful by aligning the R&D process with business strategy is that it gives a definite direction and clarity to R&D to move ahead with a systematic approach and hence gives higher performance.

Having an R&D team aligned with the business strategy enables effective prioritization and saves time and resources, leading to greater agility in achieving company-wide goals. However, many businesses face challenges in the initial stages, such as clearly defining these objectives. The burden of urgent projects can often derail the focus from the initially established strategy, underscoring the importance of ongoing reviews to prevent loss of direction.

For an organization, it is necessary to align project with the business strategy. This entails a comprehensive understanding of the target market, customer requirements, value proposition, and areas of differentiation. Prioritizing R&D initiatives based on their strategic alignment, potential impact, feasibility, and resource availability is essential. This approach ensures that efforts are concentrated on the most pertinent and valuable opportunities, preventing resources from being squandered on less relevant or lower-priority projects. Ultimately, this alignment allows for a more focused and efficient R&D process, driving innovation that directly contributes to the overarching success of the organization.

In my experience, R&D must be fully integrated into the company's DNA. This ensures that all areas of the company are aligned with the true purpose of research and development, driving progress, and eager to participate. Remember: R&D also plays a crucial role in shaping the strategy and must be wholly committed to it.

Alinear nuestro equipo de I+D con la estrategia de la empresa es crucial, pero ir más allá y crear un espacio donde marketing, desarrollo de negocio, sustentabilidad e I+D se unan, puede marcar la diferencia. Imagina un lugar donde estas mentes brillantes colaboren, pensando no solo en lo que necesitamos hoy, sino en cómo podemos liderar el mercado en los a?os venideros. Este enfoque no solo nos mantendrá innovando constantemente, sino que asegurará que cada nuevo producto sea un paso hacia el futuro, reflejando no solo lo que somos, sino hacia dónde queremos ir. Juntos, podemos construir algo que no solo resuene hoy, sino que también defina el ma?ana.

I think it was Helen Keller who said: "Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much." And to me, effective collaborations are the key to enhancing R&D project performance. Like some on this thread have already pointed out, R&D can be quite straightforward when we can bring together diverse perspectives, expertise, and resources to tackle complex challenges and drive innovation. A sure shot way to drive innovation and efficiency in your projects is by engaging internal teams and external partners through effective communication and leveraging the diverse expertise of your stakeholders! Clear communication and properly defined roles ensure everyone is aligned, leading to higher-quality outcomes and successful project delivery.

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Un mapeo de procesos adecuado que involucre a todas las partes interesadas sin duda ayudará a proyectar metas más realistas para el desarrollo de nuevos productos. Esto permitirá plantear estrategias de desarrollo considerando las particularidades de cada producto a desarrollar. En mi experiencia, es importante considerar al área operativa del departamento de I+D para proyectar los recursos y tiempos necesarios para el desarrollo de nuevos productos.

Collaborations can be very effective. Generally there are company specific issues or goals that can get in the way of cooperation. In my own experience I found it useful for the general manager of the effort to be focused on the project goals, which includes partnership harmony. In addition there needs to be at least one leader for each partner who can focus on individual goals. Even if the GM and company leader are both from one partner, as long as the GM has the discipline to be guided solely by the project needs, it will work. The GM has got to be first class and very disciplined and be solely focused on project goals.

Improving R&D research project performance starts with setting clear goals , effective teams, strong leadership, and having a solid plan. As Peter Drucker said, "What gets measured gets managed," so it's crucial to have measurable objectives. Building a diverse team that works well together is key. Strong leadership and enough resources, like funding and tools, are also important. Encourage innovation and creativity within the team. Regular check-ins, literature survey and feedback help keep things on track. Collaborating with external partners can bring in fresh ideas and expertise. Managing risks and ensuring quality are essential to keep the project on solid ground. Promote a culture of continuous improvement.

The use of agile in product development has shown me that the oportunity to improve or detect defects at an early stage can help reduce the damaging impact generated from manufacturing issues or even worst, from costumer reviews.

At the same time, one shouldn't always chase the latest buzzwords either. Successful Research and Development is a mix of using tried and trusted approaches and adding news ideas and approaches. Especially in very complex systems it is typically a bad idea to want to reinvent the wheel. At the same time, just because something has been done a specific way in the past, doesn't mean that it is the optimum way either What does this summarise to? Be open to change and experimentation but don't force it for the sake of doing so.

Start a project by setting clear, measurable objectives for each steps. Tracking key performance indicators (KPIs) like time to market, cost efficiency, and innovation impact helps us see where we stand. Regular progress reviews and performance assessments are essential. By analyzing our successes and failures, we can learn valuable lessons and make necessary adjustments. It's important to celebrate our achievements to motivate the team and maintain momentum. Continuous improvement is key, and I strive to foster a culture where we are always looking to enhance our processes and outcomes. Measuring our R&D results ensures we stay on track and make informed decisions that drive our company forward.

This is probably often overlooked area which leads to many failures. While there is lots of data driven decisions at the start, there is less at the end of process. What I noticed people tend to skew toward financial matrix of succes (margins, profit, etc), but for successful R&D, it is critical to evaluate whether the product is used as designed. You might reach financial targets but discover that it is not your target group who is buying and using product as well they do not use it as intended. If you don't analyse it and score your product vs design brief (launch feedback loop) then you might never be able to successfully market the product and reach maximum potential. Never forget about febreeze design story!

One key detail is that Research and Development needs time. Sometimes one can have the impression that nothing moves for days, weeks - and then things evolve rapidly. While it may be easy to estimate time requirements for say an interrative process (build, test, adjust, build, test...) the more theoretical aspects can be hard to quantify. Reflecting on approaches, implementations takes time - and thought processes are very hard to measure.

Provide clear directions on what, why, when and How. Give space but keep team accountable. Solve problem and involve team and make a habit of listening.

El tiempo de un proyecto en desarrollo es clave para el manejo de una información teórica confiable que pueda ser soportada con el comportamiento industrial del producto en desarrollo. Evitando, perdidas en materiales, equipos, insumos, entre otros que perjudica el capital del proyecto y de la industria. Por lo tanto, es importante ofrecer el tiempo a la investigación y demostrar con peque?os volúmenes hasta obtener un resultado efectivo que no impacte la evolución del producto.