CLIENT CHALLENGES

• Convert hospitals in developing countries to modern blood collection methods
• Elicit insights into worldwide customer needs that are meaningful to multiple functions across the company.
• Obtain consensus on global product requirements

CLIENT RESULTS

• Firsthand knowledge of customer issues and desires makes team members into customer advocates.
• Developing global requirements prior to product design, rather than after specifications are in place, reduces reworking.
• A systematic process withstands changes in team composition.

PDC SOLUTION

• Market-Driven Product Definition (MDPD®)

As the leader in the design and worldwide delivery of disposable healthcare devices, systems, and services, Becton Dickinson's mission is to improve the health and well-being of all people. The New Jersey-based company decided to improve its own health by implementing a systematic and efficient way of conducting customer-focused research.

PDC worked with Becton Dickinson (BD) to train a multi-functional team in the use of PDC's industry-recognized Market-Driven Product Definition (MDPD) process. PDC assembled a team including members from the U.S., India, Singapore, the Philippines, Malaysia, and Korea and helped them gain deep insight into customers' issues, environments, and needs. These insights provided valuable data useful throughout the entire life cycle of the product, from early definition through launch and product maturity.

After going through a single MDPD cycle, BD gained insight that benefited much more than product solutions. "At the end there were solutions that fell into many categories: product development solutions, marketing solutions to develop precise strategies, and education solutions," says international marketing manager Carmen Najork. "So the answers were not just products; they were products, strategies, directions, [information on] how to compete, and educational tools."