Harley Davidson 2010 Annual Report Download - page 6

Customers are expecting more. The market is moving
faster. And we’re getting quicker. For Harley-Davidson,
speed-to-market is an essential part of fullling riders’
dreams with the right motorcycle at the right time — bikes
that will answer the call of today’s riders and tomorrow’s,
extend our market leadership in new ways, feed demand
and fuel our growth.
One of the drivers of this process is our work to bring
customers and dealers into our market research and product
development thinking earlier and in greater force — getting
their voices and views from the very start on functionality,
design, styling and what they value. This input is key to
identifying what will be within the scope of a bike project
To do that, we’ve launched a new methodology for
product development — one that’s designed around proven
best practices.
For major projects — whether the development of a new
powertrain, a new chassis or an entirely new motorcycle
—
we are cutting time-to-market by about a third. It’s a
sequenced, synchronized process that brings together the
ve functions of product development — marketing,
manufacturing, styling, materials and engineering — in new,
more efcient ways.
and just as importantly, what won’t — enabling us to clearly
identify the development priorities and then march with
discipline from initial concept to production.
Taking Time Off the Clock
08 Customer-led Products 09Harley-Davidson, Inc. 2010 Annual Report