New product design and development: a generic model

This paper describes a generic model of the new product design and development (NPDD) process. The model has been derived from best practice observed in fieldwork carried out in a range of situations. The model helps to identify and put the company’s NPDD activities into the context of the overall NPDD process. It has been found to be a useful means of organising data on firms’ NPDD activities without imposing an overly‐prescriptive “how to” model of NPDD. The framework which underpins the model will help to promote a discussion of the approaches undertaken within a company’s NPDD process, thereby promoting understanding and improvement of the process.