Two WOEs are associated with knowledge input:

1. Planning is the reasonable acknowledgement of what it takes to make a business out of the PD process. Planning includes determining: what to do; how to do; how to fund; how to produce and support; how to sell and ship; how to inculcate corporate strategy; and how to manage influences of society, markets, legalities, compliance mandates, etc. Planning must guide the creation of a business and implementation 'plan'. The 'plan' guides the entire PD process and goes into sufficient operational detail to justify the business case. Does it need to be perfect? Well, as Hubert Humphrey was purported to have said, "More progress results from the violent execution of an imperfect plan than the perfection of a plan to violently execute."
2. Market / Product Research is the activity of investigating the various users, market, demographic and 'psychographic' segments, competitors, selling and distribution channels, industry considerations, trends, social implications and regulations to which the product will be directed or by which it will be influenced. This information guides the Market Requirements Document (MRD), product definition and development.

Two WOEs are associated with the input of 'stuff':

3. Technology or IP (Intellectual Property) Basis is what greatly influences the product, its uniqueness and, in many cases, its 'crown jewels'. This can be new, cheaper or enhanced technology; it could be a new, cheaper or enhanced process; or a new look, feel - or whatever provides distinctiveness and that which, hopefully, can be protected and defended.
4. Resources are skilled people, funds, facilities, equipment, physical infrastructure, tools, furniture, etc. that must be acquired and utilized so that the PD process can be implemented and executed.

The final two WOEs are associated with constraints:

5. Rules are the written and unwritten guidelines by which the PD process is constrained, such as "you must always fill out the proper SOP for any production process" or "That's the way we always do it".
6. 3RD Party Encumbrances are those constraints over which a company has little or no control such as regulatory agency requirements, government requirements, social and religious barriers, tariffs, etc.

We will discuss each of the WOEs in sufficient detail to understand roadblocks commonly experienced in each area. We'll also show what can be done to break down these roadblocks, thus optimizing a product's chances of success. These roadblocks are quite common, but not always those you may experience; and there may be others you may confront that are not included herein.