1 What is the project duration and what is the critical path?
2 The board were hoping to launch the new range in the next 9 months. From your analysis, could this be achieved?
3 Where would you suggest that gates are put in this process?

In new product development, time to market can be a key determinant of the success of a product. In the packaged food business, this is especially true, as in excess of 95 per cent of new products last less than 6 months. In this case, the firm concerned were not just launching a new product but a new range of products, to meet Europe’s burgeoning appetite for Indian Balti-style ready meals.