Managing Product Platforms: Delivering Variety and Realizing Synergies

This executive business course introduces participants to the concept of “commonality" or product platforms—the sharing of components, processes, technologies, interfaces and/or infrastructure across a product family. Successful product platform management software allows companies to develop better products more easily, improve product family planning and lifecycle management, and increase corporate profitability. Learn how you can develop a strong platform strategy that will deliver ROI for your organization.

Companies from Lockheed Martin to GE use product platform strategies to deliver more variety to their customers and compete more effectively. For example, Black and Decker uses shared motors and batteries across a range of power tools. These firms realize quicker new market entry and reduced costs but, in order to do so, they must orchestrate complex, multi-product development projects.

However, recent research suggests that many firms fail to earn a return on their platform investments. This work has uncovered that many firms face systemic pressure to diverge from their platform sharing. Several cases studied realized less than half of their platform sharing goals. Are these failures the result of a flawed product platform management strategy or poor execution?

This executive business course focuses on helping companies develop strong platform strategies and execution programs by teaching executives how to understand the managerial levers necessary to operate in complex environments. As a participant in this course, you’ll be exposed to a range of strategies, from product platform, to supply chain platform, to industry platforms. The executive business course content draws on case examples from a diversity of industries and includes opportunities for you and your peers to share and discuss industry experience.

As part of the live online session, you will also be offered the opportunity to schedule a private 15-minute consulting session with faculty member Bruce Cameron to discuss any individual issues or concerns facing your organization