Improving Market Success Rates through Better Product Definition

Manager of Product Definition, Hewlett‐Packard Co.

As Hewlett‐Packard′s Manager of Product Definition, Edith Wilson wears two hats. She is responsible for the training of HP project teams in the use of the product definition process which she has developed and is also a Lecturer at Stanford University′s Mechanical Engineering Design Division, responsible for teaching the role of product definition in design for manufacturing success.

Edith has conducted dozens of case studies in her product definition research and has identified key product definition differentiators between the product definitions of successful products and the unsuccessful ones. Of note, she has developed a tool called a“Self‐Assessment Test” which teams can use in the early stages of product development to identify and correct any critical deficiencies in their product definitions.

She earned a BSE degree in biomedical engineering in 1977 from Duke University, an MS degree in mechanical engineering in 1979 and an Engineer′s degree in mechanical engineering in 1990.

The author of several articles on data analysis, TQC, and product definition at HP and in the electronics industry, Edith′s major professional interests include project management and design innovation.

Edith Wilson can be contracted at Hewlett‐Packard Co., 3200 Hillview Ave, Palo Alto, California 94304. Tel: (415) 857 8287; Fax: (415) 857 3723.