Synchronization process of R&D and product plan: Analysis with case example of mobile phone development by technology roadmapping tool

This paper discusses processes in technology management that coordinate progress workflows conducted on different timescales and with different requirements, particularly for fundamental research and development (R&D) and product planning. Strategies to survive the turbulent market of the information and communication technology (ICT) industry are becoming more challenging than ever. To address this situation, this paper discusses a solution mechanism based on the previously proposed “synchronization process (SP)” reference model, which defines a set of knowledge and decisions in each department from the perspective of top executives. This paper reveals how the SP operates from the perspective of R&D teams and their knowledge. A technology roadmapping (TRM) tool is introduced as an analysis tool, and it is applied to two case themes from the development history of mobile phones at Fujitsu. The highlights in the findings are that the competitive technologies for long-life products survive because they are based on the virtual (implicit) requests originating from both parties: business units and R&D teams, and such requests lead to the formation of “virtual teams” in the official project. These teams operate even if the formation is incomplete.