Learn & Adapt: ExPD an Adaptive Product Development Process for Rapid Innovation and Risk Reduction
About this ebook
In this user guide, we present Exploratory Product Development (ExPD), a strategy-to-launch product development approach that is adaptable and can respond nimbly to environments that are increasingly complex and uncertain. Using the ExPD approach, you can discover how to accelerate your product development process by removing bureaucracy and rework, learning through experimentation, and shifting your focus to the most critical product priorities.
We examine the constraints imposed by a traditional phased-and-gated product development process and demonstrate the transformational role of the ExPD approach in adapting to individual product needs.
This user guide is for product developers in established enterprises looking to install a new or improved product development process. Product developers in start-ups will also benefit from many of the ideas, tools, and techniques covered in this guide. We provide case studies and examples that transition these concepts from theory into practice.
Implementing the ExPD approach will result in a product development function that is stronger, more focused, and more resilient to change. You will better understand the role strategy and business models play in product development and how to build a productive idea pipeline. Also, you will gain a new appreciation for the need to identify, assess and resolve uncertainty and risk before investing in a product, giving you greater confidence in your ability to win savings in resources and time to market and ultimately achieve greater product success.
About the author
Mary’s new product development expertise is in process, strategy, business model development, lean product development, risk management, organizational development, and team dynamics.
Mary began her career at Ford Motor Company and progressed through various marketing and development positions. She joined AT&T Bell Laboratories, concentrating in the areas of strategy, the voice of the customer, and scenario planning.
Mary co-founded the product development firm Strategy 2 Market® (s2m) in 2002. s2m specializes in helping large and mid-sized enterprises improve their product development system. Mary & Kathy went on a mission to improve the traditional phased-and-gated product development process that most enterprises use today. They developed an alternative adaptable process called Exploratory PD® (ExPD) that ultimately drives down and manages the most critical product development uncertainties and risks. Out of this process, they developed the Product Risk Framework® tool.
They received a grant in 2018 from the NSF STEM I-Corp program sponsored by the University of Chicago Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. The grant was for the Product Risk Framework (PRF), which supports the ExPD process.
She is a member of the Society of Women Engineers and has an MBA from The University of Chicago, Booth School of Business.
Kathy co-founded the product development firm Strategy 2 Market® (s2m) in 2002. s2m specializes in helping large and mid-sized enterprises improve their product development processes.
Kathy has over 30 years of experience with Fortune 100 companies specializing in market and customer research, strategy, business processes, and models. Kathy's new product development expertise is in developing innovation, product, technology, market strategies, and product and technology roadmaps.
Kathy was instrumental in developing the Product Risk Framework. It is a tool that product development teams use to identify, assess and determine a product's most critical uncertainties, following the Exploratory PD® (ExPD) that ultimately drives down and manages the most critical product development uncertainties and risks.
She has an MS in Statistics from Carnegie-Mellon University and completed the core doctoral courses. She also has an MBA from The University of Chicago, Booth School of Business.
