Apparel Retailer’s New Product Development Capabilities Roadmap Drives Efficiencies
Client Challenge
The client is an $11+ billion multi-channel specialty retailer of high-quality apparel, accessories, and beauty products. Current capabilities to support product design and development activities of the various brands and product categories lagged industry peers. The retailer’s existing product development systems were underutilized and requested enhancements were often tactical and not aligned with key strategic business initiatives.
The retailer’s business and IT leadership wanted to develop a two-year product development capabilities roadmap that considered prioritized business needs, return on investment objectives, and the organization’s ability to absorb change.
Parker Avery Solution
The Parker Avery Group guided the client in defining a product development capabilities roadmap using the following approach:
- Reviewed the current list of product development system enhancement requests
- Conducted best practice future-state design sessions
- Collaborated with the retailer to prioritize desired capabilities
- Assessed the organizational impact of proposed and current initiatives
- Outlined detailed cost estimates and benefits
- Developed a time-phased deployment roadmap balancing desired product development improvements, benefits realization, and the organizational change impact
Parker Avery delivered the following key assets:
- Prioritized, best-practice process and system improvements
- Cost/benefit analysis for implementing the improvements
- Phased deployment roadmap developed to address short-term (3 months), mid-term (6–9 months), and long-term (12–24 months) deliveries
- Communication collateral to drive organizational awareness and understanding of the initiative
Results
Key enhancements the retailer expects upon deployment of the product development capabilities roadmap include:
- Improved raw material development usability
- Raw material sample management and tracking
- Finished goods sample management and tracking
- Calendar management and workflow
The client recently deployed the first capability release on time and on-budget, is mobilizing for the second capability release, and expects to reap the benefits identified in the return on investment analysis.
Let’s improve your efficiency and business outcomes with better capabilities.
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