Taking AIM at Improving Product Development in Consultant Firms CHRISTIAN ERIKSSON Master of Science Thesis Stockholm, Sweden 2013 Taking AIM at Improving Product Development in Consultant Firms A Case Study of Avalon Innovation Model By Christian Eriksson Master of Science Thesis MMK 2013:04 MCE 278 KTH Industrial Engineering and Management Machine Design SE-100 44 STOCKHOLM Examensarbete MMK 2013:04 MCE 278 Med Sikte på Förbättrad Produktutveckling i Konsult Branschen: En Studie av Avalon Innovation Model Christian Eriksson Godkänt Examinator Handledare 2013-01-22 Lars Hagman Jenny Janhager Stier Uppdragsgivare Kontaktperson Handledare Avalon Innovation & Mälarplast AB Peter Wall Ulf Strand Sammanfattning Detta projekt har utförts tillsammans med Mälarplast, en tillverkare av plastprodukter och Avalon Innovation, en konsult firma som specialiserar sig på produktutveckling. Det första målet var att utveckla en flexibel förvaringslösning för användning inom flyg- och tågcate- ring, genom att använda Avalons nya utvecklingsprocess, Avalon Innovation Model (AIM). Behovet var att kunna tillverka en basversion som kunde konfigureras till att dela av en av Mälarplasts lådor i fack av olika storlek. Det andra målet för projektet var att utvärdera och analysera hur väl AIM fungerade som en produktutvecklingsprocess samt som serviceprodukt för sina kunder. Detta skulle i sin tur leda till rekommendationer för fortsatt utveckling och förbättring av AIM. Genom att följa AIM utfördes användarstudier, vid servering under en tågresa och hos utrust- ningsavdelningen vid ett flygbolag. Användarbehov som framkom under studierna rangord- nades med hjälp av användare, köpare, säljare och tillverkare av liknande produkter. Huvud- problemen som identifierades var: flexibilitet i form av fack samt ett behov att hålla mat vid jämn temperatur. Det slutgiltiga konceptet var ett ilägg i plast som kunde anpassas för olika fackstorlekar i den aktuella lådan. Lösningen optimerades till att passa de vanligaste glasstor- lekarna som hittades. Resultatet presenterades som renderade bilder och ritningar från 3D modeller producerade i Solid Works. AIM analyserades genom intervjuer och diskussioner med nyckelpersoner samt utövare av AIM hos Avalon. Dessutom genomfördes studier av relevant teori genom vetenskapliga ar- tiklar och andra litterära källor samt intryck från det projekt som nämndes ovan. Resultatet visade att AIMs beskrivningar av utvecklingsverktyg saknade tillräckliga beskrivningar av hur och när det skulle användas. Det saknades också en strategi för integration av funktioner och kunder inom AIM, något som skulle kunna leda till ineffektivitet och färre lyckade inno- vationsprojekt. Ytterligare rekommendationer innefattade förslag på förbättringar av process designen samt strategin gällande hantering av iterationer av produktkoncept och idéer, genom att göra processen mer kvick (‖agil‖) och flexibel. Slutligen argumenteras för en tydligare separation av produkten AIM och processen AIM. Detta rekommenderades för att förbättra fokus på erbjudandet till kunder samt information som är ämnad åt produktutvecklare. I II Master of Science Thesis MMK 2013:04 MCE 278 Taking AIM at Improving Product Development in Consultant Firms: A Case Study of Avalon Innovation Model Christian Eriksson Approved Examiner Supervisor 2013-01-22 Lars Hagman Jenny Janhager Stier Commissioner Contact Person Contact Person Avalon Innovation & Mälarplast AB Peter Wall Ulf Strand Abstract This project has been carried out in cooperation with Mälarplast, a manufacturer of plastic products, and Avalon Innovation, an engineering consultant firm focusing on product devel- opment. The first objective was to develop a flexible storage solution for inflight and railway catering, using Avalon’s new development process Avalon Innovation Model (AIM). Mälar- plast had realized a need for a product which they could produce as one solution which could be configured to divide their drawers, used by airline and railway caterers, into pockets of different sizes. The second objective was to evaluate and analyze how well AIM worked as a product development tool and process as well as a service product. With the intention of providing recommendations for improvements for further development of the model, both in terms of a service product and as product development process. Proceeding according to AIM, user studies at caterers, during service on a train and at an air- line utility department were performed. User needs identified during these studies were ranked with the help of users, buyers, sellers and manufacturers of these kinds of products. Two main problems were found, these were: flexibility in terms of pocket sizes and a need to keep food at an even temperature during transport. The final concept was for a flexible plastic inlay that creates pockets in the specified drawer. It was optimized to hold the most common glass sizes reported by contacted airlines. AIM was analyzed through interviews and discussions with key personnel and practitioners of AIM at Avalon. Theoretical studies through scientific articles and other literature resources as well as impressions from the project mentioned above were also used. The result showed that AIM was not well described in terms of when and where the specified development tools should be used as well as how. Further, a lack of functional integration of teams and custom- ers in AIM was found, which could make the process less than optimal in terms of efficiency and innovation success. Recommendations offered including improvements of the process’s layout and strategy in terms of handling iterations of product concepts and ideas, by making the process more agile and flexible. Also a better separation between AIM the product and AIM the process is recommended in order to improve the focus of the offer to customers as well as the information given to developers. III IV Acknowledgements The author would like to thank all who have helped this project to move forward, be it with information, support or facilitating studies. In particular, the following people should have many thanks for their help and contribution to the project:  Peter Wall, Mälarplast; Ulf Strand, Avalon Innovation; and Jenny Janhager Stier, KTH; for valuable input as tutors and supervisors of the project.  Jenni Nordenskjöld, LSG Sky Chefs; Caroline Westergren, SJ; Mikael Norman, SAS; Göran Andren, SAS; for facilitating study visits, guiding the author and allowing the author to take precious time for questions and studies.  Jean Bülow; Helene Högberg; Kerstin Beckman; Agnes Sävenstedt; from Avalon for allowing the author to pick your mind regarding AIM and any and all question that has come up.  Karl Reinholtz, Avalon Innovation; for helping out and facilitating the idea generation workshop and being very helpful during the project.  Johanna Persson, Mälarplast; Lillemor Kabuye, SU; Martin Köchl, MDH; Björn Gustafsson, Avalon Innovation; Mathias Pedersen, KTH; Eryk Samolewicz, KTH; Christian Runius, Designindustrin; for helping out with great ideas in the idea genera- tion workshop and session and giving valuable input.  Heidi Åman, KTH; Effie Andersson, KTH; for reviewing the report as student review- ers and presenting your thoughts and analysis, you have made the report even better.  Engineers and employees at Avalon who has let the author bother them with questions both face to face and over the phone during the course of the project, and for helping out with tips and suggestions throughout the project.  Representatives from: Emirates Airline; LSG Sky Chefs; SAS; British Airways; Fin- nair and SJ; for providing information regarding glass sizes and opinions on function priorities.  Family, friends and loved ones for supporting the project whole heartedly. If, by any chance, the author has missed to acknowledge any contributions in this section, know that you are worth all thanks that the author can muster! Christian Eriksson, Stockholm, January 2013 V