China Manufacturing Decoded

New Product Development Explained: The Hidden Risks Between Idea and Production

Listen Later

Episode 310 (January 2026) of China Manufacturing Decoded. Host Adrian is joined by Paul Adams, head of New Product Development at Agilian Technology, part of our group, for a practical walkthrough of how a strong NPD partner guides products from idea to mass production.

The episode highlights key benefits of working with a strong NPD team and NPI process: faster time to market, built-in quality and reliability, better scope and cost control, and robust protection of intellectual property. Paul also discusses practical red flags to watch for when selecting a contract manufacturer and why the cheapest quote can become the most expensive option.

To learn more or discuss a product, listeners are invited to contact Agilian and reach out to Paul and the NPD team for advice, prototyping support, and new product development services.

 

Episode Sections:
  • 00:00 – Introduction & episode context
    • Why NPD partnerships matter when going from idea to mass production
  • 01:55 – Overview of the NPI / NPD journey
    • Why new product development is a process, not a single milestone
  • 02:36 – The six NPI phases explained
    • Feasibility → Prototype → Tooling → Validation → Pre-production → Mass production
  • 05:00 – Why pre-production runs are critical
    • Real example: catching a potential 30% failure rate before mass production
  • 07:30 – What an NPD team actually does
    • Acting as both the customer’s voice and the company’s representative
  • 11:10 – Managing scope, budget, and expectations
    • Why scope creep quietly kills timelines, cost, and quality
  • 14:10 – Transparency as a core NPD responsibility
    • Why “telling customers what they want to hear” creates long-term risk
  • 16:35 – Embedding risk mitigation into every phase
    • Living risk registers, phase gates, and cross-functional reviews
  • 21:00 – Risk goes beyond engineering
    • Budget limits, internal constraints, and customer readiness
  • 24:00 – Benefits of a strong NPD partner
    • Faster time-to-market, built-in quality, and reliability by design
  • 27:05 – Intellectual property protection and trust
    • Why IP protection is foundational to long-term partnerships
  • 30:10 – Order-takers vs true manufacturing partners
    • What importers should look for when choosing a contract manufacturer
  • 31:25 – Closing remarks & where to learn more

    •  

    Related content…
    • The New Product Introduction Process Guide
    • Agilian - How we work (6 NPI Phases)
    • Get assistance from Sofeast with your NPI
    • 4 types of pre-production prototype to make before production
    • 11 questions to ask before working with a contract manufacturer

      • Get in touch with us
        • Connect with us on LinkedIn
    • Contact us via Sofeast's contact page
    • Subscribe to our YouTube channel
    • Prefer Facebook? Check us out on FB
      • ...more
      View all episodesView all episodes
      Download on the App Store
      China Manufacturing DecodedBy Sofeast
      • 5
      • 5
      • 5
      • 5
      • 5

      5

      4 ratings

      More shows like China Manufacturing Decoded

      View all
      The Daily by The New York Times

      The Daily

      112,982 Listeners

      The Intelligence from The Economist by The Economist

      The Intelligence from The Economist

      2,550 Listeners