Chapter 6 – Starting out

Publisher Summary This chapter describes the point in the development program at which planning yields to execution. Once the starting point is established, the balance of the effort is in producing tangible results. The chapter reviews several of the elements that comprise the formulation of the development team and the tools for making them effective. The chapter discusses the logistics of starting the program planning and the issue of assembling the group and transforming a loose collection of people into a functioning team. Then, the issue of organizational dynamics (both intercompany and intracompany) is discussed. Importance of mentoring and apprenticeship is elaborated. Management of the group is discussed with respect to generating the results effectively. Tools for tracking and managing the time of the group are presented. With a fast-paced dynamic market, the intellectual property protocol and communications protocol are discussed. These two items, critical to the longevity of the business development initiative, are a sensitive issue, especially when two companies are collaborating on a program. The culture of the development team and the company is also reviewed. The chapter concludes with discussing corrective improvement used in business development operations.