TITLE:
Improving High-Tech Product Development through Communication Audits
AUTHORS:
Mirja Vaananen, Pekka Belt, Janne Harkonen, Matti Mottonen
KEYWORDS:
Communication; Employee Communication; Internal Communication; Communication Audit Methods; Productivity; Performance
JOURNAL NAME:
Technology and Investment,
Vol.3 No.1,
February
24,
2012
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.