Managing Development Networks

Stefan H. Thomke

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Module Note | May 2003

Managing Development Networks

by Stefan H. Thomke

Abstract

Describes the concepts and pedagogy for a module on understanding and managing product development networks between firms and within firms and among products themselves. Introduces students to the increasingly important role of networks in the development of new products and services. R&D teams rarely work in isolation; their success in great part depends on how they manage interdependencies with other teams, departments, or companies among which development work is distributed. Addresses important issues in the design and management of such networks.

Keywords: Product Development; Resource Allocation; Research and Development; Networks; Design; Groups and Teams;

Format: Print

34 pages

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Citation:

Thomke, Stefan H. "Managing Development Networks." Harvard Business School Module Note 603-091, May 2003.

About the Author

Stefan H. Thomke

William Barclay Harding Professor of Business Administration

Technology and Operations Management

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Teaching Note | HBS Case Collection | August 2001 (Revised November 2017)

IDEO

Stefan Thomke

Teaching Note for (600-143).

Citation:
Thomke, Stefan. "IDEO." Harvard Business School Teaching Note 602-060, August 2001. (Revised November 2017.) View Details

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Case | HBS Case Collection | June 2000 (Revised October 2017)

IDEO

Stefan Thomke and Ashok Nimgade

Describes IDEO, the world's leading product design firm, and its innovation culture and process. Emphasis is placed on the important role of prototyping and experimentation in general, and in the design of the very successful Palm V handheld computer in particular. A studio leader is asked by a business start-up (Handspring) to develop a novel hand-held computer (Visor) in less than half the time it took to develop the Palm V, requiring several shortcuts to IDEO's legendary innovation process. Focuses on: 1) prototyping and experimentation practices at a leading product developer; 2) the role of playfulness, discipline, and structure in innovation processes; and 3) the managerial challenges of creating and managing an unusually creative and innovative company culture. Includes color exhibits.

Keywords: Business Startups; Innovation Strategy; Business or Company Management; Time Management; Product Design; Product Development; Business Processes; Organizational Culture; Practice; Problems and Challenges; Creativity; Hardware;

Citation:
Thomke, Stefan, and Ashok Nimgade. "IDEO." Harvard Business School Case 600-143, June 2000. (Revised October 2017.) View Details

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Article | Harvard Business Review | September–October 2017

The Surprising Power of Online Experiments: Getting the Most Out of A/B and Other Controlled Tests

Ron Kohavi and Stefan H. Thomke

In the fast-moving digital world, even experts have a hard time assessing new ideas. Case in point: At Bing, a small headline change an employee proposed was deemed a low priority and shelved for months until one engineer decided to do a quick online controlled experiment—an A/B test—to try it out. The test showed that the change increased revenue by an astonishing 12%. It ended up being the best revenue-generating idea Bing ever had, worth $100 million. That experience illustrates why it’s critical to adopt an “experiment with everything” approach, say Kohavi, the head of the Analysis & Experimentation team at Microsoft, and Thomke, an HBS professor. In this article they describe how to properly design and execute A/B and other controlled tests, ensure their integrity, interpret results, and avoid pitfalls. They argue that if a company sets up the right infrastructure and software, it will be able to evaluate ideas not only for improving websites but also for new business models, products, strategies, and marketing campaigns—all relatively inexpensively. This will help it find the right path forward, especially when answers aren’t obvious or people have conflicting opinions.

Keywords: Research; Consumer Behavior;

Citation:
Kohavi, Ron, and Stefan H. Thomke. "The Surprising Power of Online Experiments: Getting the Most Out of A/B and Other Controlled Tests." Harvard Business Review 95, no. 5 (September–October 2017): 74–82. View Details

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Managing Development Networks

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