Improving High-Tech Product Development through Communication Audits

Mirja Vaananen, Pekka Belt, Janne Harkonen, Matti Mottonen

University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland.

DOI: 10.4236/ti.2012.31004                

Abstract

Functional communication is a necessity to succeed in high technology product development where projects typically are multi-site, multi-cultural, multi-technical, and products are complex. The aim of this study is to clarify what kind of process is suitable for assessing the effectiveness of communication in high-tech product development. Based on the literature analysis, a communication audit process is constructed and tested in five product development projects of different information and communication technology (ICT) companies. Based on test case experiences and analyses, this study proposes a streamlined communication audit process. An outcome of this paper is a streamlined communi-cation audit process that provides benefits for companies, but does not burden the organisation unnecessarily. Man-agers of high-tech companies can utilise the developed process for enhancing communication in their product devel-opment.

Keywords

Communication; Employee Communication; Internal Communication; Communication Audit Methods; Productivity; Performance

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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