UCSD Extension, as part of its ongoing mission to support growth of the ever-changing regional economy, is offering a new intensive program to help local companies bring new products to global markets. Participants will learn from companies such as WD-40, Qualcomm, and Mitchell International key processes for determining what the market really wants and how to launch winning products consistently over time.

Called Integrated New Product Development, the one-week course begins Oct. 17 and will cover all aspects of new product development such as customer and market research, planning and decision-making, and people, teams, and culture. The class reveals idea-to-launch frameworks, process flows, and methods and tools that are common from industry to industry.

“New product development is not an engineering process. It’s a business process that requires deep understanding of markets,” says Kevin McGourty, lead instructor and director of operations of Seascape Corporation. “Some companies make the mistake of forcing new technologies into the market before there is even a need. This course teaches how to avoid this and other pitfalls.”

Instructors for the course represent local gurus who have successfully launched products for more than three decades. Experts include Graham Milner, executive vice president and chief brand officer for WD-40, Richard Eppel, president of Strategic Momentum, Timothy Gendreau, chief revenue strategist of The Gendreau Group, Mark Steele, vice president of Worldwide OEM for Symbol Technologies, Inc. and Eli Rosner, chief information officer of Mitchell International Inc.

Graham Milner of WD-40 will offer in-depth case studies on “Team Tomorrow: How we did it at WD-40.” The presentation covers the dynamics of team building from interdepartmental turf wars to revenue projections of $45,000,000 for products that did not exist three years ago. Joe Lawrence, senior director of global technology marketing for Qualcomm will present “CDMA on a Shoestring Budget in International Markets.” Susan Wayo of The Gendreau Group will presents techniques to sense and scan emerging markets. The program concludes with a presentation from Richard Eppel of Strategic Momentum on “Team Dynamics: The Key to Innovation.”

“Each of the executives in this program will be offering the kind of real world, strategic knowledge that can be immediately applied in the workplace,” says Mark Steele, chairman of the San Diego Telecom Council and vice president, Worldwide OEM for Symbol Technologies. “The program represents a rare opportunity to see how new product development works across multiple industries and business models.”

According to a study by the Product Development and Management Association, new products have had a success rate of only 59% at launch over the last five years. The association further describes that for every seven new products ideas, about four enter development, 1.5 are launched, and only one succeeds.

“The odds of new product misfires are substantial—sometimes crippling to startups. This intensive program has been designed to not only help increase the rate of successful launches but to build powerhouse teams along the way,” says McGourty.

The UCSD Extension Integrated New Product Development program will be offered in the San Diego area beginning October 17th. This intensive is part of an ongoing series of courses in new product development. Further information may be found on UCSD Extension’s website located at http://extension.ucsd.edu or by calling 858-964-1336.

Media Contact: Jackie Carr (858) 822-2029