1. SPIN Benchmarking
The product planning phase contains all steps that are necessary to develop a good design brief for further product development in phase 3. Amongst these steps are an internal and external analysis, and the development of a brand promise and market strategy. Depending on the selected SPIN working package, there will be an assessment of the product that is to be improved – either through benchmarking or redesign - or the generation of a first idea for the development of a new product. The result of these activities will be summarized in the design strategy and design brief, which also describes the concrete plans and planning for the following phases.

2. Content Introduction to D4S Benchmarking. What? Why? How?
Different kinds of Benchmarking
The 10 Step D4S Benchmarking approach
Lessons learnt

3. Benchmark

4. D4S benchmarking
Benchmarking is the process of improving the performance of an existing product by continuously identifying, understanding, and adapting outstanding practices and processes found both within and outside of the organization.

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7. Why D4S Benchmarking?
Copying or benchmarking is often the most common way of product development in SME (as well as in bigger companies).
By looking at and learning from competitors new products for the company itself are developed or improved.
Often however the environmental aspect is being ignored. As a result often the ‘copy’ products are even more worse for the environment compared to the original products.
D4S Benchmarking supports the company to make its products more competitive, cost efficient as well as cost-effiecient

8. Why D4S benchmarking of products?
Know what you are talking about.
Know where you stand with respect to demands for customers, legislation.
Find out where you can save money.
Know where you stand with respect to competition
Be able to set priorities and to integrate environment into product development process.

9. Characteristics of Benchmarking
Comparison with competition; relative not absolute
Technical language and tangible units instead of environmental indicators: , kg, %, m, l, …
Learning by doing; do it yourself – visible.
Easy to integrate into business process; environmental specification of products

10. Environmental benchmarking
Advantages:
Improvement potential
Learning by doing
Time / money
Business link
Communication
Control
Feasibility
Relative
Limitations:
Only redesigns
Only incremental

11. Different kinds of Benchmarking

12. Processes/ Strategies
D4S benchmarking
Processes/ Strategies
Products / Services
Internal
Against internal targets
Against previous models
External
Traditional benchmarking
D4S benchmarking

13. Comparing against older models

14. Comparing with competitors or other product lines

15. Different kinds of D4S Benchmarking
The D4S Benchmark can be based upon:
Physical products of competitors which can be measured, dismantled and being analysed in detail.
Information of products of competitors gathered form the internet, visiting fairs and looking in shops.
The first provides more insights but is also more cost and time intensive since the products have to be purchased and analysed in details.
The D4S Benchmark can be done in two ways:
Light version: An all in one worksheet. This suitable for simple products as well as when the financial and staff resources are limited.
Extended version: 10 worksheets

16. Different kinds of D4S Benchmarking

17. The 10 Step D4S Benchmark approach

18. Step 1 – 5 D4S Benchmark

19. Step 6 – 10 D4S Benchmark

20. Step 1: What are the objectives of the D4S Benchmark?
There are many reasons to initiate a D4S Benchmark. It is essential to discuss the objectives. This will have an impact on the D4S Benchmark design and will assist in identifying the the products to be studied and the parameters used to make comparisons.
Possible objectives for a D4S Benchmark could be:
To Learn from worldwide competition in order to enter an international market.
To know-how the product scores in comparison to local competitors
To get inspiration for environmental improvements
Etc.

21. Step 2: How to select products for the D4S Benchmark
Based upon the defined objectives in Step 1 the product could be selected by:
Identifying the leading products in the sector (local, regional or international)
Select products in the same specific market (target group, price/quality etc.)
Identify products that illustrate ‘best practice’ or ‘worst practice’

22. Step 3: What is the functional unit and system boundary of the D4S Benchmark
The context in which a product will be used influences the result of a benchmark. To make a clear comparison of products it is essential to describe the function, the context, user scenario and system boundaries.
This is usually referred to as ‘functional unit’ and enables a ‘fair’ comparison.

23. Functional Unit: drinking 1,5 liter bottled water

24. But how much is used….

25. Exercise 5 groups Each group 1-2 experts from Seafood or Tea group
Choose one of the products to be ‘your’ product
Fill in Worksheet 2.6.A, B1 2 3

26. Step 4: What are the focal areas for the D4S Benchmark?
To determine the main product variables to be benchmarked, it is necessary to identify what issues or focal areas are of ‘environmental relevance’.
Typical Focal areas for pakaging:
Environmental aspects of food and packaging:
Materials, amount, layers, reuse, recyclability, ….
Protection of the food
Distribution
Communication
Ease of use
Perception/value for users

27. Step 5: How to translate the focal areas into measurable parameters?
With the focal areas identified, the next step is to translate them in measurable variables.
The challenge is to translate these ‘qualitative’ focal areas into quantifiable variables.

28. Exercise: Fill in 2-6-B, B5 Define focal areas What topics?
Objective to choose the focal area?
If possible describe parameters (soemtimes only qualitative description)

29. Step 6: How to organize a disassembly session
In a ‘physical’ D4S benchmark, the next step is to organize a disassembly session. To get the best results it is worthwhile to plan well and structure it methodologically

30. Disassembly session for food (packaging)
Opening the packaging, easy - difficult?
Food quality ?
Amount of packaging, number of packaging layers, double/triple packaging, printing
Packaging materials
Protection of the products when open?
Storing/closing of packaging
Distribution when open?
Taste the products , taste, texture …
User aspects
Perception

31. Step 7: How to process and compare the outcomes of the D4S Benchmark
After the collection of all the relevant information for the D4S Benchmark focal areas, the next step is to process the data.
It is advisable to prepare fact sheets for each focal area summarizing the compiled information to make the information more easily interpretable.

32. Step 8: How to review the results and to generate improvement options
During the disassembly session and the other steps of the benchmark “smart solutions” of competitors and “silly solutions” in the company’s own product will be encountered. Use these findings to generate improvements for your product
Go through the list of options in the Guide on page 80, sub-strategies for SPIN

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36. Step 9: How to evaluate and prioritize the improvement options
Environmental benefits: an assessment of whether the improvement option reduces environment impacts along the product life cycle.
Consumer benefits: an assessment of whether the consumer is likely to accept the option as a benefit.
Societal benefits: an assessment of to what extent society will benefit from the proposed improvement.
Company feasibility
Technical feasibility: an assessment of whether the improvement options are technically feasible (and timely).
Financial feasibility: an assessment of the financial viability each of the improvement options.

37. Evaluating options: Ecodesign Matrix
Benefit
Feasibility
Environment
Business
Customer
Tech
Financial #1 #2 #3 #4 #5

38. Exercise step 1 find improvements form the silly and smart solutions
Find other improvement options
Make a list of the improvement options (fill worksheet B8)

39. Exercise step 2
Select the best feasible 5 options , put in worksheet B9
Evaluate the improvement options on the criteria,
(--,-,0,+,++) worksheet B9
Environmental benefits
Consumer benefits
Company benefits
Technical benefits
Financial benefits
Managerial benefits

40. Step 3: How to implement the improvement options?
We move to Phase 3, Product Development (same as redesign steps done yesterday)
We will skip the project brief (same as yesterday)
Starting from the improvement options:
Concept generation (only one concept)
Present sketch of your companies improved product

41. Lessons learned from Benchmarking
Awareness
I never realized that …
my competitor is better in …
Big differences
for ‘new’ products
also for products at end of learning curve
Improvement potential
no brand scores consistently best
All focal areas affected
Strong basis for improvement