Front-loading problem-solving: implications for development performance and capability

Summary form only given. Some practitioners have initiated concentrated efforts to reengineer their development processes as to move (or "load") their problem identification and solution backwards in time (to the "front" of the process). In this paper, we provide a conceptual model and some case evidence from development practice to describe the basic principle behind this rapidly emerging concept. We base our discussion on a problem solving perspective of product development. We describe and analyze a product development project as a bundle of inter-dependent problem-solving cycles that include modeling and testing via computers or physical prototypes as core activities. Using this perspective, we propose that the earlier identification and solving of a set of problems for a given developmental task can lead to faster and more efficient product development. Our evidence is mostly case-based but we feel it points towards the emergence of an important capability for improving development practice. The paper addresses the following issues: we start with a brief discussion of the benefits and potential risks of shortening product development. We then describe the problem-solving perspective of product development and apply it to automotive development. The next sections explain the basic principle of front-loading which is followed by a field study of front-loading at Toyota Motor Corporation. We conclude the paper with implications for managerial practice and research.