Working with the IfM

Services for Manufacturing SMEs - Capability Development

SME Senior Managers have limited time and resources with which to improve business performance. The IfM SME Capability Development Tools help manufacturing SMEs to build effective capabilities aligned with their Business Strategy.

Capability Development

Using the IfM Capability Development Tools, our practitioners typically engage with the SME’s management team over the course of one - four days.

Capability development projects are selected based on the importance of the capability to the SME’s strategy, and gap between the current and required levels of performance.

Example: New Product Introduction

The New Product Introduction (NPI) toolset comprises a suite of four tools to manage new product development in a simple, highly effective way. Each element of NPI is addressed in a self-contained facilitated workshop, including:

• NPI process definition
• NPI project management
• Product definition
• Portfolio management

Module outputs are a one-page summary capturing the salient points and can be used on an ongoing basis as a management tool.

Example: Design

This consists of two tools delivered as a facilitated workshop:

• A Product audit, assessing product usability, performance, producibility, desirability, profitability and differentiation.
• A Process audit - assessing the maturity of 25 key design activities covering both 'design execution' and 'design management'.

During the facilitated workshops, the audits stimulate discussion about the performance of the company's new product design and development system, and enable participants to reach consensus on current and desired status. Opportunities for improvement are identified together with appropriate actions.

More information

• Design Management Group