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What is Lean Product Development?

Lean Product Development, or LPD, utilizes Lean principles to meet the ever-growing challenges of Product Development. Beginning with Allen Ward's study of the Toyota Production System, lean product development seeks to address the following issues in particular:

• Reduction of long development cycle times
• Reducing the high costs of development
• The need for more innovative solutions
• Reduction of production costs
• Redevelopment cycles

Exclusive Video: Integrating Lean and Agile to Transform New Product Development, Intel

Lean Production vs. Lean Product Development: What's the Difference? 

Although Lean Product Development does incorporate certain principles and guidelines of Lean Production, Lean Product Development focuses on the development of new products to suit the customer, as opposed to improving processes for existing products.

 "Don't try to bring lean manufacturing upstream to product development. The application of Lean in product development and manufacturing are different. Some aspects may look similar, but they are not! Be leary of an expert with experience in lean manufacturing that claims to know product development" 

- Jim Womack's advice to Harley Davidson

Principles of Lean Product Development

As Lean Product Development focuses more on innovation and the creation of new products, there are difference core principles, placed with differing priority to that of standard Lean Production. Below are these key principles, broken down into stages. To learn more about this list, click here.

First Principle: Define Value to the Customer

1. Voice of the Customer 
2. Quality Function Deployment 
3. Lean Design 
4. Platforms and Design Re-Use 
5. Rapidly Explore Alternatives

Second Principle: Identify the Value Stream and Reduce Waste

6. Streamline the Development Process
7. 5S Workplace
8. Standardized Work 
9. Integration of Design Tools

Third Principle: Make the Value Creating Steps Flow

10. Pipeline Management
11. Flow Process and Pull Scheduling
12. Reduce Batch Sizes
13. Synchronize Activities 
14. Defer Commitment 

Fourth Principle: Empower the Team

15. Cross-Functional Team 
16. Workforce Empowerment
17. Right Resources

18. Amplify Learning.

Ultimately, the successful implementation of Lean Product Development should increase innovation within an organization tenfold, as well as facilitating the introduction of new products - potentially even at a 400-500% increase.

READ MORE: Great Scott! Potential Sighting of Lean Product Development!