The customer comes first : Priorities in product design for GM, Sharp and healthcare

Purpose – Reviews the experiences of three different types of company in various parts of the world, to explain some of the current common concerns in new product research and development. Design/methodology/approach – This briefing is prepared by an independent writer who adds their own impartial comments. Findings – Motorcars, medical equipment, television sets. Ostensibly three products from diverse industries with little in common. Yet what this trio does share is high consumer demand, and what comes with that is intense competition. In order to keep increasingly demanding consumers happy, pressure is on for companies in these sectors to respond quickly to new technologies and deliver them to market at the best possible price. To win attention away from their peers, these firms need to produce consumables with real star quality: the fastest, the flashiest, the most precise. Thus new product research and development has never been more important. Overexposed to marketing gimmicks, customers will now be moved by nothing less than products with proven innovation and quality, which have been designed with them in mind. It is a lesson to be learned as much for giants such as General Motors and Sharp as it is for entrepreneurs searching for the next big thing. Practical implications – Offers case studies whose example can be widely translated into different sectors. Originality/value – Identifies key factors in product development strategy that will be relevant to a wide variety of businesses worldwide.