Logistics And Operations Management Development at Apple

Question: You are an Operations Manager for organisation listed below: Apple You are currently reviewing the product portfolio in order to introduce a new or modify an existing product/service. Assignment Task Design or modify a product or service for your chosen organisation. You are to report on the following: An introduction to the product or service Detail of the importance of process design on the product or service The overall aim and objectives of the product/service using process design Stages of product/service to illustrate your design concept Analysis of the impact of performance objectives on the design Your report should include relevant academic models to support your analysis. Answer: Introduction The product/service designing or the modification in the product is evaluated as the most crucial task in the operational management. As the operations manager, the designing of the new product/service and modification in the existing ones is included in the primary responsibilities. The product designing is the task which includes the team efforts and the pre-planning. For this, the managers have to prepare the suitable blueprint, so that the designing phase can easily be completed. Other than the designing phase, if the modification phase will be considered then the improvements can only be possible by the feedbacks of the customers or from the different reviews. The company selected for the designing or the modification of the product is a very well renowned company named as Apple. The company is continually launching various products with the well -defined operating system and with the unique features too. The specialization of the company is mainly in preparing the iPhones, iPads and the wide range of laptops. With the new techniques, there are chances of improvement. In fact the product designing phases may also change according to the requirement of the product. So, it is essential to study each and every aspect related to the product. The existing services offered by the Apple are selected here for the description. Apple Service Program is broadly categorized into two parts named as the Apple Care Products and the Apple authorized service care provider program. Apple provided various services which include the services to the individuals, services to the institutions the professionals, and the service to the resellers the professional s. Though, these services are providing the best solutions to the users, but simultaneously these services require some modifications to compete in such a competitive environment (Apple Inc., 2016). The product portfolio helps a lot in finding out the suitable service for the discussion. The report shown below mainly covers the aspects related to the product design and the role of the product designing in providing the suitable services. Actual Modification to the Product The modification not only improves the service, but by the help of this, the various new services may also launch. As it is defined above, that Apple mainly offers two types of services, but the modification is done both on the professional as well as on the professional level. On the professional level, the Apple offers services for inspiring the Mac operating system and iPhones by providing the online assistance to the customers. Similarly, for the personalized services, Apple prepared some of the Apps all over the world. For example, in the U.K. Apple prepared the AHIPS service for the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). The modification in the IOS security also provides the suitable aspects of the growth and development. The modification in the existing services can able to provide the suitable aspects related to the services. Process Design The process designing is the most essential aspect in the formation of the new product. The steps followed in the designing of the product will directly influence the performance and the making of the product. As it is defined in the introduction section above, that the most suitable services provided by the Apple are selected for the modification. Jonathan Lve with Steve Job introduces the concept of designing the product in the organization (Elmansy, 2014). This information on designing the product is highly confidential and are generally not disclosed in front of anyone. Some of the aspects due to which the process design is getting famous are defined below: - Due to the process design, the services can able to achieve the suitable targets as per the requirements. After following the guidelines for the design process, the changes may also be done in the existing services. The products or the services can able to provide the most efficient results or the output to the users, if they follow the suitable process design formed by the designers of the company (i.e. Apple). The design process is also helpful in synchronization of the services in order to provide the best results. In contrast to that Apple Authorized service care program, the innovated approaches are designed to provide the suitable output to the customers. (Peters, et al., 1999). By the impact of the process design, the areas of providing the services get more widened and varieties of services are provided to the customers. By the suitable process design, the services are provided in a well defined sequential manner. Both the services provided by the Apple (i.e. Apple Care Products and the Apple authorized service care provider program) can perform better by adapting the suitable growth aspects from the process design program. By analyzing all these important aspects, it is clear that the process design plays a very important role in the product making and the services provided to the customers. To achieve the maximum positive responses from the customers, it is essential to follow the suitable aspects related to the product design. Aim/Objectives of the Product/Service As it is clearly defined above, that Apples service is considered for the processing. Apple is providing the most suitable services to the customers. But, the introduction of the similar product in the market requires the modification in the existing services. The aims or the objectives of the service to use the product designing are the maximum usage of the unique aspects used in the process. The Apple adapts the most unique process to design the products. It is very difficult to disclose the internal process of the organization (Agarwal, 2012). Apple actually appoints selected candidates for designing the services or the product. From them, Engineering Program Manager (EPM) and Global Supply Manger (GSM) holds an important position. They are responsible for maintaining the designing process of the product fluently. The suitable procedure followed by the process designing also helps in completing the major aspects related to the services (Nordmeyer, 2015). So, the existing and the u pcoming services wants to follow the suitable process designing aspect. The Apple also follows the Iteration Process while creating designing the new products. Through this process, the managers or the team members continuously watch the modifications which are required in the existing services. After this, the suitable improvement may be done in the existing services. For an example, currently the Apple is providing the Apple Care products to the customers for their personal, professional and the institutional uses. Suddenly the requirement related to the personal service changes (Team, 2014). With the help of the iteration process, the required changes can be done easily and the services may also get benefit from the designing process. Stages of Product/Service The development of the product or services is divided into various stages or the steps to show the suitable aspect related to the product. To develop the services, the Apple team adapts various types of strategies and process so that the final delivered services are more advanced and appropriate according to the requirement. The Apple also defines the concept of the (ANPP) Apple New Product Process information which is helpful in showing, that when would be the development of the new product or the services may be started (Kellingley, 2016). At present, although the company is at the top order of the users choice, yet it needs a number of amendments in its services. Two of the crucial reformations in the existing services of the Apple Service Program are provided below: The Apple authorized service provider program is for the resellers and the professionals only. Sometimes the candidates doing their business from home also requires these services. So, the company could include leading softwares in their service providers that could allow candidates to access the services from home without visiting offices and facing queue troubles. The Apple Care products also need some modifications. These products are mainly designed for the individuals, institutions and the professionals, the resellers and the service providers. But, the level (i.e. price) of the service provided is not decided by the Apple. So, as a reformation a new service could be introduced in which Apple could hold sessions to decide the price. An innovative team could be organized that takes care of the prices and carry out reformations in it on the basis of the dynamic choices of and requirements of the consumers. The other necessary amendments are also required in this perspective. After analyzing all the essential amendments which should be done in the existing services, it is essential to identify the suitable stages in the completion of the process. The each phase of the product design has their own importance in providing the services to the customers. The diagrammatic representation of the product designing process is shown below: - (ZURB, Inc., 2016) As the above diagram clearly shows that the product designing phase is divided into five major phases which are named as the Define, Ideate, Prototype, Build and Analyze. The define Phase is included in the Design Strategy. The Ideate and the Prototype are included in the interaction design. The Build and the Analyze phase are included in the interface designing phase. All these phases work simultaneously to provide the most suitable process design. If the existing services will follow this diagram, then the chances for the modification will be increased. Rather than these important steps, the Apple also adapts the paired design Mock ups, Pixel perfect Mock ups and the Pony meetings which take into consideration while defining the product designing phase of the product. Major aspects related to the Product Rather than the design process and the maintenance of the product efficiency, there are some other aspects too which are essential to understand in contrast to the products. Some of the other aspects are defined in the points below: - Idea generation or the development of the new product is considered as the most important aspect. The idea is generated by analyzing the current products in the market. For providing the services to customers, a well defined and highly advanced technology is adapted by the Apple. By doing the Feasibility study of the particular services, it is quite clear that though it takes a lot of time and money in bringing the changes in the services, but the best services are tried to deliver. Some of the common modifications are the changes in the ways of providing the services and the online assistance to the customers. The product specification can be defined to the customers either by using the social media or by showing the various adaption aspects in the product. The product specification of the services provided by the Apple is responsible for increasing the sale of the product and the services. Process Specifications are helpful in providing the reliability and the trust among the people. By identifying the process specifications, the customers can attract more towards the services. Prototype Development is the aspect in which the initial model is made, which is helpful in identifying the aspects related to the updated services that whether the services are helpful or not for the customers. Design Review is the systematic and comprehensive method to analyze the capability and adequacy of the design to check whether it is fulfilling the future requirement or not. Market Test can be done by adapting the four methods which are named as the direct exploration, Monadic Testing, Paired comparison Monadic Testing and the Discrete Choice Testing. By these testings, the actual market aspects can be defined. Product Introduction can be done with the help of the promotion or by creating the suitable introduction of the product in the market. Follow up evaluation can be done by adapting the suitable evaluation as per the requirement. The proper evaluation plan is prepared in which the modified services are evaluated and assumption can be made that whether these services are helpful or not. Rather than this, there are some of the other factors which are also considered while modifying the existing service. As Apple modified the existing professional and the personalized services, so the efforts should be taken to increase the reliability, durability and the dependability. To increase the reliability, the suitable trust of the customers must be developed. To maintain the durability, the suitable updation of the product should be done. By considering all these aspects the suitable product can easily be delivered to the customers. Impact of the Performance Objectives on the Design To identify the impact of the performance objectives on the design, it is essential to identify the meaning of the performance objectives. The performance objectives are decided according to the requirement of the organization and developing of the product or service in the organization. These objectives are helpful in providing the suitable standards for the growth and development of the products or the services. According to the design of the product or services, the performance objectives are categorized into five major types (Westland, 2010). They are named as the Quality, Speed, dependability, Different costs and the flexibility. The performance Objectives can influence the design process both in the positive and the negative manner. Quality: - Here while carrying out the amendments in the Apple Care services and even in the services rendered by the authorized service provider, the Quality performance objective is helpful in defining the performance of the product or services in terms of productivity. Before launching the product or introducing reformations in the existing services, there are various aspects which are focused. All the aspects are analyzed according to the standards, whether they are focused or not. If the services reformations perform well, then it will create the positive impact on the design or the modification will be required. Speed: - The services may also be successful in the market by providing the suitable speed to the customers. By this, the customers can easily able to adapt the services provided by the Apple. In fact, the online assistance provided by the Apple is the speediest service. Dependability: - The dependability objectives are helpful in showing the aspects related to the organization which are related to the delivery of the products or services. If they are delivered on time and on a definite cost, then this aspect in reference to the product or service can be successful and if not delivered appropriately, then the modification is required. Cost: - Similarly the different costs and the flexibility in creating the products or services can also create a positive impact if completed on time and the approach is not successful, if failing in proving the suitable aspects related to the product or services. So, for the performance objectives, it can be concluded that to obtain the suitable feedback from the services, it is essential to manage the products and services in a suitable and well-defined manner. Fast Accessing: - The performance objective also provides the methods of easy accessibility and processing. To make the speed fast and to increase the reliability, the advanced services are provided to the customers. Influence of the Academic Models The Academic models play an important role in the product designing and the service provided by the Apple. All these academic models work in a different manner and designed to provide the various services to the customers. One of the models which are currently used by the Apple is named as the New Product Design and Development (NPDD), which is helpful in providing the suitable development of the product. The NPDD is considered as the most generic model and is mainly useful for creating the step by step products and introducing reformations in services in the organization. This model is highly used and generally creates the positive influence on the product. Similarly, for managing the process design, some of the visualization tools are also helpful. These Visualization tools are helpful in making the task easier and faster. They help in reducing the development time and also provide the completion of work at less cost. As Apple is the renowned company and also contributes in the Cor porate Social Responsibility so to follow this aspect, the sustainable designing model is also used by the Organization. This model mainly focuses on the sustainability of the product and if the product is not in use, then it will become easier to recycle it. This will create a positive impact on the environment and also recycles the existing product so that it can be used in the near future also (Kaziboni T Uys, 2012). By assuming all the perspectives and the various aspects, it is clear that the design process plays a major role in the designing of the product or modifying the existing services. It is recommended that, to maintain the services, the Apple has to plan the suitable strategy and also have to focus on all the valuable perspectives. Bibliography Agarwal, A., 2012. New product development at Apple. New product development, 04 December. Apple Inc., 2016. Welcome to Apple Service Programs. [Online] Available at: https://www.apple.com/in/support/programs/ Elmansy, R., 2014. How Does Apples Design Process Work?. How Does Apples Design Process Work?, 26 November. Kaziboni, A. T Uys, 2012. The Selection of Academic Role Models, s.l.: s.n. Kellingley, N., 2016. Apples Product Development Process Inside the Worlds Greatest Design Organization. Apples Product Development Process . Nordmeyer, B., 2015. Objectives of Operational Performance. Operational Performance. Peters, A., EM Rooney J.H. Rogerson, 1999. New product design and development: a generic model. s.l.:The TQM Magazine. Team, V., 2014. Apple Marketing Strategy. [Online] Available at: https://www.vertygoteam.com/apple/apple_marketing_strategy.php Westland, J., 2010. 5 Goals Every Project Manager Should Aspire to Achieve. Goals Every Project Manager Should Aspire to Achieve, 23 April. ZURB, Inc., 2016. Design Process. [Online] Available at: https://zurb.com/word/design-process