D.U. Singer Hospital Products Corp. has done sufficient new product development at the research and development level to estimate a high likelihood of technical success for a product of assured commercial success: A long-term antiseptic. Management has instructed Singer’s Antiseptic Division to make a market entry at the earliest possible time: they have requested a complete plan up to the startup of production. Marketing and other plans following startup of production are to be prepared separately after this plan has been completed.
Project responsibility is assigned to the division’s Research and Development Group: Mike Richards, the project scientist who developed the product, is assigned responsibiliy for project management. …show more content…

“This first step, which follows the completion of the development of processing and packaging systems,” said the Director of Manufacturing, “is to do a complete study of the facilities requirements (I). You won’t be able to get that done in less than four weeks. And that must precede the preparation of the capital equipment list (j) which should take about three-quarters as long. Of course, as soon as the development of both the process system and packaging system are completed, you could start on preparing the written manufacturing procedures (q).”
“But,” said Mike, “Can I really finish the procedures before I have installed and constructed the facilities (p)?” “No, quite right. What you can do is get the first phase done, but the last three of the ten weeks it will take to do that will have to wait for the installation and construction.” “Then this means that I really have two phases for the writing, that which can be completed without the installation and construction (q’).” “True. Now you realize that the last thing you have to do is to run the equipment in a pilot test (r) which will show that you have reached a satisfactory level?” “Yes. Since that must include debugging, I’ve estimated a six-week period as adequate.” The director of manufacturing assented. Mike continued, “What I’m not sure of is whether we can run