The Principles of Product Development Flow, as articulated by Donald G. Reinertsen in his seminal work, represents a "second generation" of lean product development. While traditional lean focuses on eliminating waste in manufacturing, product development flow focuses on managing queues and economic value to optimize speed and responsiveness in uncertain environments.
: Unlike manufacturing, where variability is "bad," product development thrives on it. The goal is to manage and exploit variability to find innovative solutions. Reducing Batch Size principles of product development flow pdf
Unlike manufacturing, where variability is a defect, product development requires variability to innovate. If there is zero variability, there is no new information being created. The Principles of Product Development Flow , as
Exploiting Variability: High variability is inherent in innovation. The goal is to reduce its negative economic impact while keeping the benefits of "new information". : Unlike manufacturing, where variability is "bad," product
Manufacturing hates variability. Product development requires variability (innovation is, by definition, unpredictable). The trick is not to eliminate variability, but to decouple it from your schedule.
The book is divided into 12 chapters, each focusing on a specific aspect of product development flow. Reinertsen argues that traditional product development approaches, such as stage-gate and waterfall, are flawed and lead to inefficiencies, delays, and reduced product quality. He proposes a flow-based approach, inspired by Lean and Agile principles, to create a more efficient and effective product development process.
The Principles of product development flow - a summary | PDF