Also, the model used for evaluating NPD procedure performance
and resolving the problem arisen is crucial to the performance improvement of the NPD
procedure.
There are many evaluation indices defined by scholars and there are many strategies
and methods for improving a product development procedure proposed by other scholars.
However, there is no systemic evaluation and improvement procedure for the overall
product development procedure.
This study brought in performance matrix, factor analysis, and theory of constraints
under the systemic framework of Six Sigma which is usually used to improve product
quality, to construct a new model for product development performance evaluation
and improvement. The model was then verified with the product development of
a semi-conductor equipment manufacturer. Hopefully, the proposed model can provide
corporations a solution to systemically perform evaluation of performance, reveal
problems, analyse causes of the problem, establish improvement scheme and execute
the improvement scheme for the product development procedure and can up-lift the
competitiveness of the corporation through this elevating improvement cycle.