One of the key challenges facing many companies is bringing new, innovative products or product variants to market more quickly. By shortening the “time-to-market,” companies can tap into new markets more quickly and expand their existing market share at an early stage. The ventilation development division at BSH Hausgeräte GmbH also faced this challenge, among others.
The R&D optimization approach was designed to identify solutions that would enable the company to respond effectively to the dynamic market environment in the ventilation sector, characterized by short development cycles and a strong focus on the consumer. The focus was on introducing agile methods and approaches into the development process.
The methods were developed using a four-step process: calibration, baselining, diagnosis, and solution shaping. In a series of workshops, the team developed nearly 40 agile solution components. Examples include an “Agile Leadership” approach, an “interdisciplinary Product Owner” approach, and an “Agile Concept Phase,” which has already been implemented in a new development project. Guidance for implementing these solution components was provided by five strategic directions, which formed the backbone of the solutions. Examples include “Agile Project Work” and “Inspiring Product.” To achieve a transformation that was universally accepted and took existing development processes into account, the implementation was divided into three phases: 1. “Start Agile” – 2. “Agile Leverage” – 3. “Fit for Future.” Each of these phases contributes significantly to achieving the goals.
“With the help of the solutions we’ve developed, we can now work much more independently within our empowered teams and, as a result, carry out more complex projects in parallel while significantly improving our on-time delivery rate. This ensures that development resources are utilized as efficiently as possible and without waste, which also has a positive effect on employee motivation,” says Reinhard Wiedenmann, Head of Ventilation Development at BSH Hausgeräte GmbH.
