Boundary spanning product development in consumer markets: learning organization insights

Reviews recent marketing literature which cites the troubling success rates of newly introduced consumer products and recommends integrating consumer input as early as possible, arguing that, specifically, consumers and other external information sources should be part of idea generation and should provide input throughout the rest of the product development process. Discusses several problems which interfere with achieving that integration. Looks at the relevant learning organization literature and relates it to the new product development process. Explores the successful lead‐user technique used in industrial marketing, and describes its important components. Proposes a potentially useful analog for consumer products, and boundary spanning consumer product development teams, which are composed of internal cross‐functional members and external members selected from suppliers, retailers and consumers.