An expert system for new product development projects

New product development (NPD) project studies have attempted to identify a common set of factors that will indicate whether a NPD project will succeed or fail. A recent study has shown that there is no universal set of factors; also some factors have contradictory effects on a project’s success. A framework that classifies NPD projects into different contextual groups explains these anomalies. The grouping helps in determining the appropriate weights for the different success/failure factors, and the type of management organization and approach suitable for the project. The many subjective elements make classifying NPD projects into their appropriate contextual grouping difficult. Describes a rule‐based expert system which classifies NPD projects into their appropriate contextual groupings, suggests the level of emphasis for different success/failure factors and the right approach for managing.