Don Reinertsen’s contribution to the management of product development is recognized internationally. In 1983 he wrote a landmark article that first quantified the value of development speed, and which has been cited in the frequently quoted McKinsey study that indicated “6 months delay can be worth 33 percent of lifecycle profits.” He coined the term “Fuzzy Front End” and began applying world class manufacturing techniques in product development in 1985. Don is particularly noted for bringing fresh perspectives and quantitative rigor to development process management.

Don is President of Reinertsen & Associates, specializing in the management of the product development process. Before forming his own company, he consulted at McKinsey & Co., and was Senior Vice President of Operations for a private diversified manufacturing company.

Don holds a BSC in Electrical Engineering from Cornell University and an MBA with distinction from Harvard Business School. He is a frequent conference speaker and a gifted workshop leader and facilitator.

His book, ‘Managing the Design Factory’, is recognized as a powerful and thoughtful application of manufacturing thinking to product development. Don is also co-author of, ‘Developing Products in Half the Time’ which is a universally acknowledged ‘must have’ text for product leaders.

Don’s latest book ‘The Principles of Product Development Flow‘ has recently been published to excellent reviews, combining as it does a lucid explanation of the real science behind flow and a rich set of practical materials.