Product development is tough, without the added challenge of responding to an ever-changing client expectations.
To manage this process, almost all literature (and consultants - surprised??) preach adoption of New Product Introduction process - a holy grail to manage the inherent complexity of a new product development/launch.
The idea is to break down the complex process in to its components, put in place multiple toll-gates to ensure bad ideas get filtered out, and then the idea moves from conception to reality thru this birth canal.
In reality, product becomes a by-product of the process.
This, of course, is disastrous to consumer focussed firms. Compare Motorola/Nokia to Apple, as you will see what the end results looks like
The basic problem here is the same that afflicts all assembly-line production system - over specialization that takes away the big picture and kills creativity.
