Accelerating innovation: Some lessons from the pandemic

J Prod Innov Manage. 2021 Mar;38(2):221-232. doi: 10.1111/jpim.12565. Epub 2021 Apr 22.

Abstract

The Pandemic taught us that accelerated new-product development is more important than ever, and provided examples of firms developing breakthrough products in record time. Five approaches to accelerated development are outlined here: The first two deal with adequately resourcing new-product projects, namely the use of focused teams; and effective portfolio management to prioritize projects and reallocate resources. Newer digital tools are outlined that speed new-products developments. Finally, two development methods are described that move development projects faster: Lean development and Agile development. Accelerated development also has hidden costs: undertaking less innovative projects and cutting too many corners. Although important, the topic is under-researched, and the limited research has yielded inconclusive results about acceleration's expected benefits.

Keywords: Agile development; Agile‐Stage‐Gate; Stage‐gate; accelerated innovation; accelerated new‐product development; portfolio management.