USO DE HERRAMIENTAS DURANTE LA PRIMERA FASE DE DESARROLLO DE PRODUCTOS

Abstract

This article analyses the extent to which the various tools that support the Fuzzy Front End of innovation are used in 86 Basque companies. The Fuzzy Front End of innovation refers to the first stage of the process of new product development It covers all the activities undertaken before the decision to develop a new product is made: from opportunity identification to decisions about new product development. Decisions made at this stage determine the future of whole innovation process as well as the future of the company’s competitiveness. Thus, proficiency at this stage is paramount in order to select the most promising new product concepts in terms of market success. Therefore, researchers are trying to develop a variety of tools that could help companies during the Fuzzy Front End of innovation. However, little is known about how these tools are actually used by companies. The data presented in this research describe the use that the companies participating in this study, all of which are located in the Basque Country, make of the different existing tools that could be applied during the Fuzzy Front End of innovation.