The center envisions an America in which industry achieves and sustains the highest levels of customer satisfaction and product value while enjoying long-term vitality and profitability. Each American company will become more competitive by creating and using the right information at the right time, making informed decisions about product development, and improving its ability to learn and adapt to changes in product development processes. To those in the center, the product development system encompasses the conception, planning, definition, development, demonstration, delivery, and support families of products and services. To that end, the center is developing programs in the areas of research, education, and outreach. Over the past year, the center has further refined its research process for students and faculty.
Research begins by developing testable hypotheses.
The center initiated research programs with all of its corporate partners, as well as with several affiliated companies. Four examples are particularly worth noting. The model also accounts for uncertainty during development and commercialization of the products, while incorporating the effect of the design choices on the uncertain factors. At JPL, the model was used to evaluate alternative telecommunications platform investment decisions for spacecraft. It is now being considered for wider use at the laboratory.