Notes
* "Colocation" means that people from the diverse engineering functions developing the car (i.e. chassis design, air conditioning, suspension, alternator, sound systems, dashboard subsystems, etc.) work from offices in the same location. Team members are physically placed together, during the time it takes to design the car, instead of coming together only for formally scheduled meetings.1 "Theta" is a code name for a highly successful and best-selling vehicle which AutoCo produced in the mid 1980's. The success of Theta is credited with putting AutoCo in a financially solvent position and allowed investment in other vehicle development programs. In order to achieve its success, the Theta program "broke" a number of product development rules. Although not always judged as successful in its product development efforts (milestones, timing, quailty, warranty and so forth), Theta was highly successful in the marketplace. The team that "went all out" to get Theta to market was not highly acknowledged within AutoCo for what was widely thought to be a heroic effort. A number of the managers on the Epsilon program, including the Program Manager, had previously worked on the Theta program. [Back]
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