D.U. Singer Hospital Products Corp. has done sufficient new product development at the research and development level to estimate a high likelihood of technical success for a product of assured commercial success: A long-term antiseptic. Management has instructed Singer’s Antiseptic Division to make a market entry at the earliest possible time: they have requested a complete plan up to the startup of production. Marketing and other plans following startup of production are to be prepared separately after this plan has been completed.
Project responsibility is assigned to the division’s Research and Development Group: Mike Richards, the project scientist who developed the product, is assigned responsibiliy for project management. Assistance will be required from other parts of the company: Packaging Task Force, R & D Group: Corporate Engineering: Corporate Purchasing: Hospital Products Manufacturing Group: Packaged Products Manufacturing Group.
Mike was concerned about the scope of the project. He knew from his own experience that a final formula had yet to be developed, although such development was really a “routine” function. The remaining questions had to do with color, odor, and consistency additives rather than any performance-related modification. Fortunately, the major regulatory issues had been resolved and he believed that submission of regulatory issues had been resolved and he believed that submission of regulatory documentation would be followed by rapid approval as they already had a letter of approval contingent on final documentation.
But there were also issues in packaging that had to be resolved: development of the packaging design was one of his primary concern ...