FIRST
Robotics Workshop Series 2003
October 25: Mechanical Workshops
Design Workshop
or
How to plan and effectively design a winning robot?
Tim Matt – email: [email protected]
FIRST Team Mentor – Team 384, since 1999
FIRST Judge – Arizona Regional 2003
FIRST Inspector – VCU Regional 2002 & 2003
October 25, 2003
1
Design Workshop Agenda
1. Introductions
2. Product development process – The game plan
3. Case for a product process or game plan
4. Problems and pitfalls of product development
5. Lessons for success
6. Ideation
7. Team organization
8. Task breakdown and schedule
9. Tools and tips
10. Summary
October 25, 2003
2
Introductions
1. Name
2. Team number and association
3. How many years has your team been with FIRST
4. How many years experience do you have with a FIRST Team
5. Last year’s Team success
6. Last year’s Team problem or pitfall
October 25, 2003
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Generic Stage-Gate New Product Process – The Game Plan
Initial
Screen
Idea
Gate
1
Ideation
October 25, 2003
Second
Screen
Stage
1
Gate
2
Preliminary
Investigation
Decision on
Business
Case
Stage
2
Gate
3
Pre
Commercialization
Post
Post
Business Implementation
Development
Analysis
Review
Review
Stage
3
Gate
4
Detailed
Development
Investigation
(Build Business
Case)
Stage
4
Testing &
Validation
Gate
5
Stage
5
PIR
Full Production
& Market Launch
4
Thirteen key activities in the new product process.
1. Initial screening – The first decision to go ahead with the project; the initial
commitment of resources (people and money).
2. Preliminary market assessment – The initial market study: a “quick and
dirty” assessment of the marketplace, possible market acceptance, and
competitive situation; largely nonscientific and relying principally on in-house
resources.
3. Preliminary technical assessment – An initial technical appraisal,
addressing questions such as “Can the product be developed? How? Can it
be manufactured? Etc.”; based largely on discussions, in-house sources, and
some literature work.
4. Detailed market study – Marketing research: detailed market studies such
as user needs-and-wants studies, concept tests, positioning studies and
competitive analyses; involves considerable field work and interviews with
customers.
5. Predevelopment business and financial analysis – The decision to go to a
full development program;involves, for example, a financial analysis, risk
assessment, and a qualitative business assessment, looking at market
attractiveness, competitive advantage, etc.
October 25, 2003
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Thirteen key activities in the new product process.
6.
Product development – The actual development of the physical product.
7.
In-house product tests – Testing the product in-house under controlled or
laboratory conditions; alpha tests.
8.
Customer product tests – Testing the product with the customer; field
trials, beta tests, or preference tests; giving the product to customers and
letting them try it under live field conditions.
9.
Trial sell – A trial sell or test market of the product: an attempt to sell the
product to a limited number of customers or in a limited geographical area.
10. Trial production – A limited trial, or batch production run, designed to
prove production facilities.
11. Precommercialization business analysis – The decision to
commercialize: a final business and financial analysis prior to launch.
12. Production start-up – Start-up of full-scale or commercial production.
13. Market launch – The full market launch of the product: the implementation
of the marketing plan.
October 25, 2003
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The attrition rate of new product projects
For every 11 serious ideas or concepts …
3 enter development
1.3 are launched
and 1 succeeds!
Number of ideas, concepts, or projects
12
11
10
9
8
7
Screening
& Evaluation
6
Business
Analysis
5
4
Development
3
Testing
2
Commercialization
1
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
One
Successful
Product
100
Time
October 25, 2003
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Play to win become a professional
New Product development is a lot like poker.
All new ideas have an equal chance of winning at the start.
Amateur places his bets based on . . .
• Hunch
• Speculation
• Lacks solid betting criteria
Wins rarely luck is key!
Professional places his bets based on . . .
• Database of historical project
information
• Gathers information about the project
• Clear decision rules for making go/kill
decisions
Wins often data is key!
October 25, 2003
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Problems and pitfalls
“Those that cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”
George Santayana, American philosopher
Observe success learn from failure.
Do a post mortem on failures. This will identify causes of failure,
which can then lead to prescriptions for what to avoid.
Take corrective action to avoid these pitfalls in the future.
October 25, 2003
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Deficiencies in the new product process
Percentage of Product Failures
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
Market
Preliminary assessment of market
Detailed market study
Prototype testing with customer
Test marketing
Product launch
Average
Technical
Preliminary technical assessment
Product development (R&D)
Prototype testing in-house
Pilot production
Production start-up
Average
Evaluate
Initial screening
Detailed financial analysis
Average
Done inadequately
Mistakenly omitted
Based on case histories of 114 projects in 114 industrial product firms.
October 25, 2003
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What do the statistics point out from these 114 projects?
One major point: These statistics are taken from a very biased sample
of projects.
1.
2.
3.
Every one of these products was expected to be a winner at the
start of the project.
Every one of these products went to market.
All 114 products failed!
Profile of a loser. If losing is your objective, then here are the rules.
1.
2.
3.
4.
October 25, 2003
Don’t do a detailed market study, or at best, do a fairly superficial one.
Forget the test market or trial sell, and make a feeble attempt at
launch.
At all costs, avoid doing a detailed financial and business analysis.
Don’t prototype your ideas or determine if they can be manufactured.
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Summary of problems and pitfalls
1. A lack of market orientation: Inadequate market analysis, a failure to understand customer needs
and wants, and insufficient attention to the marketplace are consistently cited as major reasons for
new product failure.
2. Poor quality of execution: The new product process is replete with deficiencies: errors of omission
and errors of commission abound.
3. Moving too quickly: Many of these errors – the failure to do certain key tasks, or short-cutting others
– are made in the interest of saving time. But these efforts are false economy: invariably, they come
back to haunt the perpetrators. When corners are cut, mistakes are made, the project moves off
target, and activities have to be repeated; all at great time and money expense.
4. Not enough homework: The three themes above all converge on the homework phase. The product
moves from idea through a rather superficial definitional and homework phase right into a full-scale
development. The homework phases are central to success; it is here where the market and product
are defined; where the obvious losers should be weeded out; and where the key decisions to commit
significant resources are made.
5. A lack of differentiation: Too many new products are reactive efforts – a “me too” product that meets
a competitive brick wall. The failure to do one’s homework, a lack of willingness to seek customer
input, and the desire to move quickly too often leads to a reactive, copy-cat product as the easy
solution. Advantage is essential to winning, achieving product differentiation is critical to success.
6. No focus, too many projects, and a lack of resources: A lack of resources plagues too many new
product projects. In most companies it boils down to not enough focus and hence too many projects
for the available resources; the result is that scarce resources are dissipated across many fronts.
October 25, 2003
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Fifteen key lessons for new product success
1.
The number one success factor is a unique superior product: a
differentiated product that delivers unique benefits and superior value to the
customer.
2.
A strong market orientation – a market-driven and customer-focused new
product process – is critical to success.
3.
Look to the world product: An international orientation in product design,
development and target marketing provides the edge in product innovation.
4.
More predevelopment work – the homework – must be done before product
development gets underway.
5.
Sharp and early product definition is one of the key differences between
winning and losing at new products.
6.
A well conceived, properly executed launch is central to new product
success. And a solid marketing plan is at the heart of the launch.
7.
The right organizational structure, design, and climate are key factors in
success.
8.
Top management support doesn’t guarantee success, but it sure helps. But
many senior managers get it wrong.
October 25, 2003
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Fifteen key lessons for new product success
9.
Synergy is vital to success – “step out” projects tend to fail.
10. Products aimed at attractive markets do better, market attractiveness is a
key project-selection criterion.
11. New product success is predictable; and the profile of a winner can be used
to make sharper project-selection decisions to yield better focus.
12. New product success is controllable: More emphasis is needed on
completeness, consistency, and quality of execution.
13. The resources must be in place.
14. Speed is everything! But not at the expense of quality of execution.
15. Companies that follow a multistage, disciplined new product game plan fare
much better.
October 25, 2003
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Who determines a unique superior product?
The definition of “what is unique and superior” and “what is a benefit” is
from the customer’s perspective, it must be based on an in-depth
understanding of customer needs, wants, problems, likes, and dislikes.
1.
Determine customer needs at the outset. Start with a user needs-andwants study. Let the customer help design the product for you.
2.
Do a competitive product analysis. There is no such thing as a perfect
competitive product. If we can understand the competitor’s product
weaknesses, then we’re halfway to beating them. Remember the goal is
product superiority, and that implies superiority over the current
competitive offering.
3.
Test and verify all your assumptions about your winning product design.
Once the product concept and specifications are defined (based on user
inputs), test the concept with users. Build in field trials to test product
acceptance, and even consider a test market or trial sell.
October 25, 2003
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We hate homework! But, homework is critical to winning.
The predevelopment activities are important because they qualify and
define the project. They answer key questions such as:
• Is the project an economically attractive one? Will the product sell at
sufficient volumes and margins to justify investment in development and
commercialization?
• Who exactly is the target customer? And how should the product be
positioned?
• What exactly should the product be to make it a winner? What features,
attributes, and performance characteristics should be built into it to yield
a unique superior product?
• Can the product be developed at the right cost? What is the likely
technical solution?
But, the cry is often “more homework means longer development times.”
October 25, 2003
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Homework means longer development times!
This is a valid concern, but data indicates that homework pays for itself
in reduced development times and improved success rates.
• First, all evidence points to a much higher likelihood of product failure if
the homework is omitted. So the choice is between doing the homework
or much increased odds of failure.
• Second, better project definition – the result of sound homework –
actually speeds up the development process. Many projects are poorly
defined when they enter the development phase: vague targets and
moving goalposts. This is usually the result of weak predevelopment
activities. With a poorly defined product and project, design people
waste considerable time seeking definition, often going back to the start
as the project parameters change.
• Third, rarely does a product concept remain the same from the
beginning to the end of the project. The original idea that triggered the
project is seldom the same as the product that eventually goes to
market. More homework upfront anticipates these changes and
encourages them to occur earlier in the process rather than later, when
they are more costly. A more efficient new product process.
October 25, 2003
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Sharply defined products are 3 times more likely to succeed.
Projects that have a sharp project definition prior to development are
considerably more successful. Here’s why:
• Building a definition step into the new product process forces more attention to
the up-front predevelopment activities. If the homework hasn’t been done,
then arriving at a sharp definition that all parties will buy into is next to
impossible.
• The definition serves as a communication tool and guide. All-party agreement
means that everyone is committed to it.
• This definition also provides a clear set of objectives for the development
phase of the project, and the development team members. With clear product
objectives, development typically proceeds more efficiently and quickly: no
moving goalposts and no fuzzy targets!
October 25, 2003
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The best products in the world won’t sell themselves!
A strong marketing effort and a well-targeted selling approach are central
to the successful launch of the new product.
• The development of a marketing plan is an integral part of the new product
process: it is as central to the new product process as is the development
of the physical product. Thus the marketing planning process must be
overlaid atop the new product game plan.
• The development of a marketing plan must begin early in the new product
process. It should not be an afterthought as the product nears completion.
Critical facets of the marketing plan must already be in place before the
product’s design and development phase even begins – target market
definition, positioning strategy, product design requirements, promotional
approach.
• A marketing plan is only as good as the market intelligence upon which it
is based.
October 25, 2003
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Product innovation is not a one-department show!
The evidence is compelling: Investigations into new product success
consistently cite interfaces between R&D and marketing, coordination among
key internal groups, multidisciplinary inputs to the new product project, and the
role of teams and the team leader.
• Develop a systematic approach to product innovation – a game plan – that cuts
across functional boundaries and forces the active participation of people from
different functions. The game plan builds in different tasks and provides checks and
balances that require the input and involvement of various functions.
• How do we take a diverse group of players and turn them into a team? Utilize a
team approach that cuts across functional lines. The single most important reason
for delays in development activities is the absence of multifunction representation on
development projects from the start.
• Strong project leadership – a dedicated and empowered project leader – is essential
for timely, successful projects.
• The climate and culture of the team must reward and encourage creativity and
innovation. It also must avoid punishment for failure. The only way to ensure no
failures is to take no chances.
• Resources must be available to enable people to do creative and innovative work.
October 25, 2003
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Attack from a position of strength!
Synergy is the ability to leverage existing and in-house strengths, resources,
and capabilities to advantage in the new product project.
The reasons for the impact of synergy are clear:
• Resources are available and at marginal cost. If the product can be
developed using existing and in-house technical skills, this is much
less expensive (and less risky) than seeking outside technology and
skills.
• Experience. The more often one does something, the better one
becomes at doing it.
Two types of synergy are important to product innovation:
• Technological synergy: the project’s ability to build on in-house
development technology, utilize inside engineering skills, and use
existing manufacturing resources and skills.
• Marketing synergy: the project/company fit in terms of sales force,
advertising and promotion, and market-intelligence skills and resources.
October 25, 2003
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Product success is within the hands of the team.
The execution of key activities – how well they are executed, and
whether they are done at all – are strongly tied to success. Quality of
execution of the project is the key to success.
The solution is to treat product innovation as a process:
• Use a formal product delivery process or game plan.
• Build into this process quality assurance approaches – checkpoints
that focus on quality of execution, ensuring that every task is
executed in a quality fashion
• Design quality into the plan by making mandatory, key activities that
are central to success.
October 25, 2003
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Speed is everything! But not at the expense of quality
of execution.
Be careful in your quest for cycle-time reduction: too often the methods used to
reduce development time yield precisely the opposite effect, and in many cases
are very costly: they are at odds with sound management practice.
• Do it right the first time: The best way to save time is by avoiding having to
recycle back and do it a second time.
• Homework and definition: Doing the up-front homework and getting clear
project definition, based on fact rather than hearsay and speculation, saves
time downstream.
• Organize around a multifunctional team with empowerment: Rip apart a badly
developed project and you will unfailingly find 75% of slippage attributable to
vertical decision making and sequential problem solving.
• Parallel processing: Activities are undertaken concurrently (rather than
sequentially) – thus more activities are undertaken in an elapsed period of
time.
• Prioritize and focus: The best way to slow projects down is to dissipate your
limited resources and people across too many projects or tasks.
October 25, 2003
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The evidence in support of a new product game plan
is strong.
Managing a new products program without a game plan in place is like
putting 11 players on a football field, with no huddles and no preplanned
plays, and expecting them to score.
• The term “game plan” means a conceptual and operational model for
moving new product projects from idea through to launch. The model
outlines the key plays necessary to score a goal.
• The game plan breaks the new product process into a series of
multifunctional stages or plays composed of multiple, parallel activities;
each stage is preceded by a gate or decision point – a huddle.
October 25, 2003
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Ideas are the trigger!
The game is won or lost in its first few plays. The keys to new product success
often lie in the up-front or predevelopment activities – homework, customer
orientation, quality of execution. These are the steps where an idea, often crude
and poorly explained, is miraculously transformed to a winning product concept
and solid product definition.
• An idea occurs when technological possibilities are matched with market
needs and expected market demand.
• Ideas can come from anywhere.
• A good new product idea can make or break a project: ideas are the
feedstock of the new product process. Remember how many are needed to
get one success.
• An important facet of a successful new product program is the development
of an idea generating system.
October 25, 2003
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An idea generating system – ways to get more and
better new product ideas.
1. Establish a focal point – idea generation is everyone’s job. Assign one
person the responsibility of stimulating, generating, and receiving new
product ideas. The commitment is that if an idea is submitted, then it gets a
hearing and a decision.
2. Identify the sources of ideas and establish flow lines or mechanisms to solicit
ideas from each source. Look outside and inside of team.
3. Have an idea brainstorming session. All criticism, judgment, or critiquing is
taboo in the meeting. The objective is ideas and lots of them. Make sure
everyone is prepared and clear on the purpose and the rules.
4. Set up an idea bank. Make it an open file so that everyone can see the
ideas and add to them. Also, post the status of the idea.
October 25, 2003
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Robotics team organization – Task Teams
Task Teams
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Awards team
Public relations team
Web site team
Travel team
Accounting team
Design team
Build team
Test team
Game rules/strategy team
Scouting team
Shipping team
Pit team
Animation team
Fundraising team
Inspection team
Mentor team
Drivers team
Idea team
Process team
October 25, 2003
Things do do
1. Choose an overall project
leader
2. Choose task team leaders
3. The task team generates its
list of tasks and schedule
4. The project leader
integrates the task team
schedules into one project
plan.
5. Assign a mentor to each
task team
6. At least once a week have a
task team report meeting
7. Manage risks and tasks
8. Start now – you’re late!
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Awards Team – breakdown of tasks
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Chairman’s award
Visualization award
Team spirit award
Driving Tomorrow’s Technology award
Engineering Inspiration award
Industrial Design award
Imagery award
Sportsmanship award
Judges’ award
Entrepreneurship award
Leadership in Control award
Quality award
Rookie All-Star award
Web Site award
Creativity award
Founder’s award
Woodie Flowers award
Inventor award
1. Choose the awards the
team will be targeting.
2. Understand the
requirements.
3. Map out a plan to win –
homework, task list,
schedule, assignments,
execute.
New awards for 2004
October 25, 2003
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Tools and tips to help the planning and execution process
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Microsoft project
Microsoft excel
Pencil and paper
Post a schedule
Prioritize tasks
Include everyone in communication
Do your homework
Do it right the first time
Celebrate incremental success
Everyone pitches in to recover slip – no finger pointing
Limited resources – use them wisely
Keep focus
Capture knowledge as project progresses
Post event evaluation
Improve the process
October 25, 2003
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Design of the robot – tips
Observations from last year’s regional and championship event.
• Reliability is critical
• Quick repair design
• Frame strength
• Multi-functioning components
• Low center of gravity
• Speed and pushing power
• Simple to drive
• Proven, tested design
• Back-up sub-assemblies
• Practice, practice, practice before event
• What are some of your observations?
October 25, 2003
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Good planning! Not Good luck!
• Proper planning prevents piss poor performance!
• Homework!
• Quality of execution!
• Act as a team!
• Have fun!
October 25, 2003
31
FIRST
Robotics Workshop Series 2003
October 25: Mechanical Workshops
Design Workshop
or
How to plan and effectively design a winning robot?
Tim Matt – email: [email protected]
FIRST Team Mentor – Team 384, since 2000
FIRST Judge – Arizona Regional 2003
FIRST Inspector – VCU Regional 2002 & 2003
October 25, 2003
32