Design Transfer as a Lever for Accelerated Medical Device Innovation: A Case-Based Mapping Approach

Abstract

In highly regulated industries such as medical devices, accelerating New Product Development (NPD) without compromising quality or compliance is a persistent challenge. This thesis investigates the design transfer process, a critical, yet under- examined phase of NPD, as a strategic lever to reduce time-to-market. The project uses swimlane flowcharts and Design Structure Matrices (DSM) to map real-world processes, identify breakpoints, and classify rework (both planned and unplanned) in four case studies from Stryker Corporation. Key patterns emerged across case types: insufficient early-stage validation, misaligned cross-functional communication, and inadequate integration with suppliers were recurrent drivers of inefficiency. Compara- tive analysis revealed that concurrent engineering practices and knowledge sharing significantly reduce unplanned rework cycles and improve development speed. The study proposes actionable recommendations for optimizing design transfer including: leveraging corporate know-how through intentional knowledge transfer meetings dur- ing the process benchmarking process, increased risk-taking during the development process by embracing concurrent engineering approaches, and investing in early-stage co-development by adopting regular collaboration activities with suppliers. These findings can inform broader process improvements in the development of medical devices, and serve as a blueprint for other complex, cross-functional environments.