A critical factor in the commercial success of new products is the speed of their development, a factor that in turn hinges on the management of the early-stage product definition phase, research will devote particular attention to this phase of product development. The research will examine the sources of market and technological data employed in this phase, as well as the success with which product definition (which typically concludes with the development of functional specifications for a new product) is integrated with the design of a new product. The management of product definition and its integration with design, as well as the extent and nature of the databases and design tools used in the process, will then be related to product performance (measured in terms of return on investment, market share, break-even time, and other indexes). Following the collection of product histories and detailed characterization of the product definition phases for each product, research will develop a generic framework for the conceptualization and analysis of product definition in different technological and market environments. This undertaking, as well the analysis of the links between the management of product definition and design and product performance, will occupy the final stage of the project.
