Statistics for Innovation: Statistical Design of "Continuous" Product Innovation (Electronic book text)

The objective of this book is to illustrate statistical methodologies that incorporate physical and numerical experiments and that allow one to schedule and plan technological innovation, similar to any other productive activity. This methodology should be implemented through a structured procedure aimed at reducing the high rate of commercial failure characterizing actual innovation processes. The definition of an iterative design activity is an objective that can be reached by subdividing the complex innovation process into 'short' steps in experimental statistics research. The approach adopted to analyze customer needs and the tools used to reduce unwanted variability form the framework for the statistical design of 'continuous' product innovation. Starting from the observation that product innovation is achieved when a 'quality' that is able to satisfy a new customer need is conferred on the product and survives over real operating conditions and time, this book illustrates the operative steps required to perform the whole innovation process iteratively.