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Rating: 
Summary: Covering All the Bases
Review: Francis' book should be read - and heeded - by anyone interested in creating successful new products. It is particularly valuable because it provides a comprehensive view of the processes and problems of creating new products. He not only describes the core process from idea generation through product launch, but he also includes the often neglected issues of information systems support, accounting for the costs and benefits of R&D programs, and patents and other legal issues associated with intellectual property. The scope of the work is broader than it first appears to be. Francis, a well-known expert in manufacturing, describes product creation processes and methodologies equally useful for manufactured products and for service "products". The book is rich in checklists on important topics, such as metrics of R&D performance, computing your leadership quotient, and motivating workers. He ends each chapter with a section called "Ideas for Action". These are tips on what to do to move from his printed page to action in the reader's organization. They are very useful. The most important message of the book is that successful product creation cannot be left to the R&D department; it requires the joint efforts of every organizational function. People from other departments who affect product creation will find this book very valuable, as will the R&D people themselves.
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