Taking AIM at Improving Product Development in Consultant Firms

159 Pages·2013·6.89 MB·English

by  Christian Eriksson

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.
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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.
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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

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