ABSTRACT
It may seem obvious to state that a new product should be adequately defined before any serious product development is undertaken. In many cases, the value of the design phase is often underestimated in the rush to start development and get products to the market quickly. This can result in much wasted time and valuable resources. It can also lead to reduced staff motivation if a product is developed that is not wanted or if the product definition is constantly changing during development. The quality of the design activities can strongly influence the success of development of the right product to the market and ultimate return on investment.
