Practical project development assistance

Popular ‘stage- and phase-gate’ product and project development processes and methods should be easier to manage and more inclusive as a result of software developer Sopheon’s Accolade Version 6.0. The firm reckons its 30 odd new functions should result in better, faster business decision-making via more transparent cross-functional collaboration together with its multi-application data access features. Accolade 6.0 functions as an information repository and communication centre. Says Vasco Drecun, research director and senior analyst for product life cycle management (PLM) research and advisory firm Collaborative Product Development Associates (CPDA): “Sopheon stands out among solution suppliers in the product life cycle management space because of its dual focus on strengthening Stage-Gate process adoption and increasing decision-making efficiency. “They have a thorough understanding of what Stage-Gate is, why it’s important, and what’s required for it to be successful. Their solution addresses both the practical day-to-day performance challenges faced by product development teams and the strategic decision-making challenges of executive stakeholders.”