1. What are some of the advantages and disadvantages of a parallel development process? What obstacles might a firm face in attempting to adopt a parallel process?
2. Consider a group project you have worked on at work or school. Did your group use mostly sequential or parallel processes?
3. Name some industries in which a parallel process would not be possible or effective.
4. What kinds of people make good project champions? How can a firm ensure that it gets the benefits of championing while minimizing the risks?
5. Is the stage-gate process consistent with suggestions that firms adopt parallel processes? What impact do you think using stage-gate processes would have on development cycle time and development costs?
6. What are the benefits and costs of involving customers and suppliers in the development process?
