INTRODUCTION EXPLANATION INTENT METHODOLOGY PROJECT PARTNERS

October 11th 07
Chief Executive Tony Clifford addresses the annual New Zealand Pine Manufacturers conference in Taranaki...
December 3rd 06
We have spent the day visiting construction sites and show homes...
December 2nd 06
The team will travel back to the US for a 2nd Research Trip.

The diagram below broadly illustrates the project structure, which has five major phases. The initial phases are divergent as the team collates a wide range of research in a number of interest areas. This then becomes convergent as this information is transformed into a specific and tailored body of research work.

The project has several phases that will include in-depth in market research and on-the-ground investigation by a team of design researchers. This information along with other research will form the backbone of a 'Product Framework' that will outline the key areas and aspects that need to focus on to deliver what the customer requires within selected regional markets.

Stage 1 - Planning and Clarification: This stage focuses on defining the market environment, the 'playing field', and mapping the product life cycle and functional structure of key products. This broad approach will identify a much greater range of product and product-service opportunities. A critical element to this will be identifying how to structure an end-user and consumer questionnaire) to ensure that the right information is sought and identifying the key "decision-maker" interventions. This stage also assists in defining critical elements of supply chains as part of the product life cycle.

Stage 2 - Research: (Undertaking fieldwork to gather and collate end-user and consumer information). This will take the form of initial field research to establish the key requirements from the customer ('the Customers Voice'). This will then be distilled into questionnaires for targeted user groups, interviews with participants within the product supply chain, and in context workshops/focus groups with users to identify product user interactions and relationships. This stage focuses on targeted research to gain new information that will link the market to engineered (value added) solutions.

Stage 3 - Development: Producing a 'product framework' (PF), based on the information obtained from the above stages. The framework will define broad engineering and design criteria and will ensure future products meet stakeholder needs and desires. The PDF will also consider options for short, medium and longer-term solutions and provide details of the possible implementation routes.