New products development (NPD)
Review the readings below, and the background readings regarding new product development and product life cycles. As technology changes daily with the rise in use of smartphones and tablets, the product development for these products has changed as well. Using examples,
Explain what is a digital product and how it differs from a physical product
Explain what is NPD (new product development) for a digital product
Show a model of the new product development process and discuss the role of information in such a process
Explain when NPD results in a sustainable competitive advantage
Maceli, K. (2011). Changes In The Development Process Of Mobile Phone Applications Bring Opportunities For Developers And More Options To Consumers. Journal of Business Case Studies, 7(3), 31-36. Retrieved December 1, 2011, from ABI/INFORM Global. (Document ID: 2358677621).
Cerf, V.. (2011). Open Source, Smart Grid, and Mobile Apps. IEEE Internet Computing, 15(1), 96. Retrieved on December 1, 2011, from ProQuest Computing. (Document ID: 2220194951
The following will be specifically assessed:
1. Your ability to clearly communicate your understanding of the concepts (i.e., NPD, digital products, etc.)
2. In-text references to modular background readings (APA formatting not required)
New products development (NPD)
Name
Institute
March 1st 2014
Overview
The world today has experienced unprecedented boom in technological advancement and use of advanced technological devices for communication. Increased globalization, consumerism, social interactions and economic development have influenced the rise in use of mobile phones. Almost half billion population in the world are using mobile devices for social and economic benefits. Owing to advanced trajectory growth in innovation pace in the physical and digital products of smart phones, more people will be connected through mobile technology.
Great changes in technology, use and dependency on smart phones has led to changes in the production development depending on consumer trends. These changes in product development process in mobile technology helps in widening opportunities for developers and also enlarging consumer options (Maceli, 2011). In the production of advanced mobile phones, new product development process must establish how to link physical products with digital products in order to satisfy consumers’ preference features and benefits (Cerf, 2011).
Digital product versus physical product
Digital products refer to the software or applications that are integrated into physical product devices. These digital products help physical devices to connect and link the users to other useful interfaces such as connection to the web. Digital products are the operating features or technological building blocks that allow users to access and interact with a host of many other applications. Digital products differ from physical products in that, they are computer generated and intangible features which are inputted in physical devices to enhance their usefulness and operations. Virtual keyboards, Quick response (QR) code that reads visual information, Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) and New Field communications (NFC) are examples of digital products. Physical products are visual, tangible and observable components. For instance, a wide range of mobile devices exist in the market with multiple physical features and functions; Samsung galaxy models, Nokia, Apple iPads and iPhones, smart phones and tablets (Maceli, 2011).
New product development for digital products
New product development is the process of developing new products or services to improve on particular products or services that are in the market. This means integrating consumers’ preference and benefits of a product with features that satisfies current and anticipated consumers’ needs. In this sense, new product development incorporates new discoveries and innovative features to products in order to suit business environment. As a result of intensive market competition and change in market mix influences, manufacturers of smart phones keep on changing their products and product development processes. Change in consumers’ tastes and need to adapt products to local and international market also significantly influences new product development (Maceli, 2011).
Increased use of Smart phones, tablets and advanced digital phone products keeps new product development growing with more technological research and market trends. Consumers utilize mobile phones for informational needs and therefore, increased dependency and demand for mobiles with digital products. This in turn has led to many software companies and mobile manufacturers investing in product development of digital products. Through new product development in the mobile phone ind...