PRODUCTION & OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT – COURSE PROJECT
PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT
This project requires you to design a hypothetical product or service that improves some aspect of life at IBA.
The objective is to apply a structured product development process, from identifying an opportunity to
evaluating a solution, while demonstrating clear, evidence-based reasoning. No prototype or spending is
required; the focus is on analysis, coherence, and feasibility.
You should treat this as a proposal to university decision-makers. Your work must be logically organized,
grounded in user needs, and mindful of practical constraints. Creativity is expected, but it must be realistic.
Begin by generating 3–5 ideas and selecting one with clear justification. Assess feasibility by considering
technical and operational constraints, risks, and key assumptions. You will then identify a target user group and
gather voice of the customer (VoC) input (e.g., interviews or surveys). Use this to define clear, prioritized
customer requirements.
You must construct a House of Quality (QFD matrix) linking customer requirements to design characteristics.
This should inform your functional specifications, which describe what the product must do. Next, explain how
the product works in practice, including how users interact with it; simple visuals may be used to improve
clarity.
You are expected to critically evaluate your design by identifying strengths, weaknesses, and trade-offs, and to
refine your idea based on feedback from 5–10 users. You must also include a Gantt chart showing a logical
project timeline across key stages.
Finally, outline how the product would be introduced (target audience, access, promotion) and define a few
measurable success metrics.
Deliverables
• Written Report (8–12 pages): Must follow the development process and include the appendix for
evidence of work done such as VoC collection and any other supporting documents.
• Presentation (max 15 minutes): Recorded video with all group members participating as speakers.
Must be uploaded to YouTube (private/unlisted) and accessible via link
Evaluation
Assessment focuses on both idea quality and process rigor. Strong projects demonstrate clear use logic, and
realistic planning. Weak projects rely on assumptions, lack integration, or treat stages superficially. Begin early,
later stages depend on the quality of your initial work.
Important Note on Professional Conduct
All projects must maintain a professional and respectful tone toward the university and its stakeholders. This
includes all components of your work: written report, visuals, and presentation. This project is intended as a
serious academic exercise in problem-solving and proposal development. Any use of mockery, or disrespectful
language directed at the institution, its policies, faculty, staff, or students is strictly prohibited. Failure to adhere
to this standard will result in an automatic zero for the entire project, regardless of the quality of other
components. Maintain professionalism at all times.
PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT PROJECT – EVALUATION RUBRIC
(Total Points: 100, Final weight: 15% of your grade)
This rubric outlines how your project will be evaluated. The emphasis is not only on the quality of your idea,
but on the rigor of your process, and the logical connection between stages of the product development.
Idea Quality & Relevance (10%)
Your idea should address a clear and meaningful problem within the university context. Strong projects
demonstrate originality, relevance, and a clearly articulated value proposition.
Voice of Customer (VoC) (10%)
You are expected to gather and use real user input (e.g., interviews, surveys, observation). High-quality work
shows clear translation of VoC into specific and prioritized customer requirements.
House of Quality (QFD) (15%)
Your HoQ should clearly connect customer requirements to design/technical characteristics. It should
demonstrate relationships, prioritization, and trade-offs, and it must inform your subsequent design decisions.
Gantt Chart / Project Timeline (5%)
You must include a clear project timeline showing major stages of your work. The timeline should be logical,
realistic, and reflect sequencing of tasks.
Product Design & Report Quality (15%)
Your report should clearly explain how your product works and how it would be implemented. Organization,
clarity, and effective use of visuals (e.g., diagrams, charts, mockups, sketches).
Logic, Rigor & Integration (20%)
This is the most important criterion. Your project should demonstrate a clear logical flow from:
VoC → Customer Requirements → House of Quality → Functional Specifications → Product Design.
Strong projects show consistency, justified decisions, and clear reasoning throughout.
Design Review & Testing (10%)
You should critically evaluate your own design and incorporate feedback from a small test group. Strong work
shows reflection, iteration, and improvement, not just description.
Market Introduction & Metrics (10%)
You should briefly explain how the product would be introduced and how success would be measured. Metrics
must be clear, relevant, and measurable.
Presentation (5%)
Your presentation must be a recorded video (max 15 minutes), with all group members participating as
speakers. It should clearly communicate the problem, solution, and value. The video must be uploaded
(unlisted/private) and accessible via link.
Overall Expectation
High-quality projects demonstrate clear thinking, strong connections between stages, and evidence-based
decision-making. Weak projects tend to rely on assumptions, show limited integration, or treat required
elements (VoC, HoQ, Gantt) as formalities rather than analytical tools.