Taking a broom to my brain after my recent trip to the MRT/PDMA conference on Co-Development (CoDev 2002), I found the following items in the flotsam and jetsam:

Featured presenter Jim Hutton, a 30+ year veteran of Boeing, and one of the key engineering minds behind their bestselling 737 jetliners, was asked for his key lesson from his co-development experiences. He quoted a former supervisor of his (perhaps it was a young Phil Condit, I can't recall) as saying:

"The greatest myth about communication...is that it occurred."

Initial results of a survey on this subject (done in conjunction with the conference by consulting firm PRTM) yielded some interesting results. Bear in mind that the whole subject of "co-development" is just getting off the ground, so the findings are rather in line with what you'd expect from an immature area, specifically:

• Respondents reported that management, leadership and cultural issues outweighed any limitations in technology, yet few are happy with the current tools available
• Very few companies are currently satisfied with their efforts in co-development and partnership
• Time-to-market and innovation were the majority reasons for companies to engage in co-development; far fewer cited cost-reduction as a driver

The above information was taken from the prelimary report used at the conference. You can get a copy of this report from the CoDev website. Survey responses will continue to be collected until March 1, 2002, so there is still time left to add your own data to the set. All participants will get a free copy of the final results via email when the survey is concluded. To download the prelim report or participate in the survey, go to http://www.CoDevpd.org

Lehigh University's Roger Nagel, co-author of "Cooperate to Compete", gave one of the highest rated keynote presentations and some of the most lucid lessons on the subject of partnering with outsiders. Drawing from his vast experience with global cultures and businesses, Roger reminded everyone of the "platinum rule."

The "golden" rule, as you've likely heard ad nauseum in your lifetime, is of course, "do unto others, etc." The exact wording changes depending on if you source this to Jesus, Buddha or your choice of a host of other moral figures, but the point never changes. The problem with this aphorism is as true for general society as it is in product development, that is, it assumes that everyone wants to be treated the same way. I believe many early missionaries in history performed the golden rule on various indigenous people in their attempts to "partner."

The "platinum" rule simply makes this correction, instead saying "Do unto others as THEY would like done." The only problem is this way is a lot more work. How does that other person like things, anyway? But that's the point - good, successful partnerships are a lot of work, much of it the sleeve rolling and pride swallowing variety.

For the last ten years, virtually everyone has mentioned outsourcing as a stable, upward trend in business. Some even say in the future there will be no more companies, just brands with complicated supply chains behind them. MIT's Charlie Fine, author of "Clockspeed" thinks many companies already compete based on their suppliers, pointing to the "Intel Inside" example. He's right, of course.

Enter the "Outsourcing Institute (OI)." While focused principally on outsourcing that involves IT and business processes like HR, rather than product development, the OI website is an excellent resource to research the ins and outs of making any kind of outsourcing successful. On the site you will find numerous articles, reports and links, all split up amongst three sections - one each for "buyers," "providers" and "influencers".

Know a website we should review? Send the url to gregg@roundtable.com

Send me your Top Ten List suggestions - gregg@roundtable.com

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