11 May 2012 1:04 pm

iPhone technology proves it can take 40 years to become an overnight success

In a world where innovation moves at the speed of light, most of us take for granted of the many great innovative NPD projects that have improved and changed the way we live.  The truth is many NPD projects sustain battle scars from years, and in many cases decades, proving their worth and/or acceptance for their intended audience. The reality is 90%-95% of great innovations initially fail.  In fact many great innovations were created by technologists and inventors who had no concept of market acceptance or the desire to fill the need of a particular audience.  Moreover, even in the  Read More

Written by Neil Stolovitsky
on 11 May 2012 1:04 pm

Posted in PM Best Practices  |  No Comments
30 April 2012 12:50 pm

Inventing the Steamboat: Why people matter in NPD projects

More often than one would expect, when we look at the original inventors of many of history’s great inventions they are marginalized in their association to their inventions.  Have you ever heard of Ferdinand Verbiest or Otto Lilienthal? Does Karl Benz and the Wright Brothers sound more familiar?  Although the first two people mentioned are the original inventors of the automobile and airplane respectively, the latter tend to be attributed to these inventions due to their ability to move beyond the inventions themselves and connect to the people who would popularize their use.

Written by Neil Stolovitsky
on 30 April 2012 12:50 pm

Posted in Famous Projects, PM Best Practices  |  No Comments
16 December 2011 8:48 am

A Project Selection Strategy is Critical, Unless you can go “Back to the Future”

For many project-driven organizations, especially those in new product development and innovation, one of the toughest challenges is managing a pipeline of potential projects and making an objective and well-informed decision on which project to place your bet on.  A strategic project selection process will ensure that the right metrics, experts and stakeholders are involved in the assessment and prioritization of your pipeline.  The right project selection strategy allows for an organization to maximize its potential for success and improvement across its current and future portfolio.

Written by Neil Stolovitsky
on 16 December 2011 8:48 am

Posted in About PM box  |  No Comments
25 August 2011 2:06 pm

Project Vision: The “Apple” Never Falls Far from the Tree

With yesterday’s announcement of Steve Jobs stepping down as Apple’s CEO, the first thought that crossed my mind is the critical role leadership plays in any organization.  As the story goes… after building Apple into an industry giant, Jobs was ousted as its leader in 1985.  Following his departure, the company slowly deteriorated and by 1997 the company Jobs’ built was running at a loss of $1 billion on its $7 billion in revenue.  Almost 15 years later, under Jobs’ leadership Apple has not only transformed its own DNA, but has revolutionized the music industry, the smart phone and the  Read More

Written by Neil Stolovitsky
on 25 August 2011 2:06 pm

Posted in Information Technology, PM Best Practices  |  No Comments
20 July 2011 3:05 pm

The Model T Ford Project: A “Model” for Product and Process Innovation

Up until the early 20th century the world viewed the automobile as a luxury item built for the elite of society.  Cars were complicated in their use and required a significant investment that the average person could not afford.  Then in 1908, Henry Ford introduced the Model T Ford that did not only revolutionize the world’s perspective on personal transportation for the masses but also re-invented the manufacturing process still applied over 100 years later.  Although we have seen improvements to his original process, with the development of lean manufacturing, JIT, Six Sigma, Kanban, and others, the core philosophy of  Read More

Written by Neil Stolovitsky
on 20 July 2011 3:05 pm

Posted in Famous Projects, Manufacturing, PM Best Practices  |  No Comments
22 June 2011 1:55 pm

Whatever happened to Smith Corona? A Hard Lesson in Product Development and Innovation

Time and time again we see dominant technologies come and go.  History has seen the automobile replace the horse and buggy as the vehicle of choice, the DVD replace the video cassette, and the PC replace the typewriter.  Although the shift in new technologies is unavoidable, there is a choice in the path of the companies that produce these products.  Some organizations have the foresight and vision to remain leaders in innovation, while others remain stuck in a “tunnel vision” mentality and continue on a path where the inability to change results in their demise.  An excellent example can be  Read More

Written by Neil Stolovitsky
on 22 June 2011 1:55 pm

Posted in Information Technology, Manufacturing, PM Best Practices  |  No Comments
11 April 2011 10:08 am

Is Agile right for you? Top 5 considerations when implementing Agile Methodology

We often hear in software development circles how Agile development is taking hold of the industry.  Created as a grassroots framework by developers for developers, the origins of Agile methodology began 10 years ago with a group of progressive software developers at a Utah ski lodge that established the Agile Manifesto aimed to establish a more inclusive, democratic and efficient system for running software development projects.  As result, multiple Agile methodologies emerged including Crystal Clear, Scrum and Extreme Programming all designed to establish self-governing project teams that place equal accountability on all members that touch the project.
As this is  Read More

Written by Neil Stolovitsky
on 11 April 2011 10:08 am

Posted in Information Technology, PM Best Practices  |  No Comments
4 April 2011 3:15 pm

The Waldorf=Astoria Hotel Project: A Lesson in Project Quality and Innovation

Probably considered by some as one of the most famous hotels in the world, the Waldorf=Astoria Hotel has its roots steeped in catering to the social elite of New York City.  The history of the Waldorf=Astoria is interesting in that its first incarnation on 5th avenue and 33rd street was a two tower structure, with the first 13-story building built by William Waldorf Astor in 1893 and later connected via a tunnel to a 17-story tower constructed by his cousin John Jacob Astor IV in 1897.  As the largest hotel in the world at the time, the Waldorf=Astoria would be  Read More

Written by Neil Stolovitsky
on 4 April 2011 3:15 pm

Posted in Famous Projects, PM Best Practices  |  No Comments