A research study to establish the need to implement cycle time reduction strategies for new package introduction

The research is an ex-post facto design administered to a randomly sampled population of the assembly technology groups within one large semiconductor company. The results confirm the fact that cycle time reduction strategies need to be managed more effectively. The areas determined to be of greatest need and importance are organizational structure and development methodology. Recommended strategies include removal of barriers between functional groups, rigorous application of team building sessions, regular project updates, priority reviews for design, development, and manufacturing personnel, and delegating routine decisions to lower-level personnel. Training programs for manufacturing personnel should be made a high priority in the development phase, and rigorous requirements for technology transfer, including detailed documentation, are necessary to guarantee successful implementation of the new technology.<>