The Product Process Matrix (PPM) is a visual representation of the relationship between the product development process and the lifecycle of the process. The entire product development process is comprised of all processes leading up to the product’s growth or decline. The goal of the process lifecycle is to create a more cost-effective and consistent structure. These two elements are combined in the matrix.
The products in production systems are frequently diverse in terms of type and complexity. Both customs manufactured limited edition/low volume goods and mass-produced commodities are available. The Product Process Matrix attempts to demonstrate why some manufacturing methods are superior for particular product volume mixtures while others are not.
The matrix is two-dimensional and depicts the relationship between the product and the manufacturing process. The structure/life cycle of the product is described by one dimension, while the structure/life cycle of the process is described by the other. These dimensions, when combined, aid an organization in determining which strategy is best for producing a product.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s)
Why is the Product Process Matrix Important to Product Management?
The matrix can be used by product leaders to educate teams, stakeholders, and departments within an organisation on the product-process lifecycle of a project.
Using the matrix as a framework, product leaders and managers may discover and value a company’s unique capability. (i.e., the assets and attributes that provide a company with a competitive edge.) To make better judgments about procedures, opportunities, and investments. Cost/price, quality, adaptability, and service/time are all distinct skills.
What are the Stages of the Product Process Matrix?
The matrix’s four process steps are as follows:
- Job Batch
Is more reactive and focused on day-to-day difficulties. The trademark is low volume, one-of-a-kind goods. - Batch
The emphasis here is on increasing productivity and bringing economies of scale into line with normal practise. The importance of competitive distinctiveness cannot be overstated. Organizations most likely manufacture a variety of low-volume items. - Production Line
There are fewer significant items but a larger volume at this level. - Constant Flow
Process and product enhancements go above and beyond industry requirements, resulting in a long-term competitive edge. At this point, there is a significant product volume as well as a high level of uniformity.
How to Build a Product-Process Matrix?
Creating a Product-Process matrix is a “hands-on” task that requires the participation of a team. To create a PPM, product leaders should follow the procedures outlined below. First, determine the goal or issue to be investigated. Then, put together the squad. Then, establish the high-level process stages associated with the business unit or project. The process stages should be organized in the sequence of flow, with downstream activities coming last. The downstream phases are those that are closest to the client. Across the top of the matrix, list the process stages. Following that, discuss and identify the products, or the flow of information that moves from process step to process step. There is an opportunity to record the roles or persons involved in the product’s creation; this information may be beneficial for examining process bottlenecks or chances for improvement. List each product or service along the matrix’s side.
What are the differences and the similarities between service positioning matrix and the product process matrix?
The service positioning matrix demonstrates how the intended nature of the service encounter activity sequence translates into a suggested service system architecture. The matrix assists managers in considering marketing and operations links, customer and service provider responsibilities in producing and providing services, facility design and process selection, and the many sorts of management issues at each level in the matrix. The matrix defines and employs concepts such as the service encounter activity sequence and the degree of repetition in the activity sequence.
The product process matrix combines the product lifetime, which includes all parts of the product development process—from conception through the growth or decline of a product—with the process lifecycle, which is the evolution toward a more cost-effective and productive standardised structure. Robert H. Hayes and Steven C. Wheelwright created the product process matrix. The matrix is known as the Hayes-Wheelwright Matrix. It was initially published in the Harvard Business Review in 1979, and it gives businesses a tool for estimating the development of a product and its connected processes, as well as analysing the fit between a selected product positioning and its related processes.