Product Planning, from the Concept Idea to Lifecycle Management: a case study of Stellantis

The work is the result of the experience and knowledge gathered during a six-month internship at Stellantis in the Product Planning Department of the Jeep Brand. Its goal is to analyze and describe the core decision making activities taken along the entire lifecycle of a vehicle to promote its successfulness on the marketplace. A particular emphasis is put on how the value is allocated during the product development phase and which actions are taken after the vehicle launch to sustain its competitiveness in a continuously evolving market. Starting with an introduction of the automotive Product Development Process and a company organizational overview, a detailed description of Long Range Planning and Product Planning roles is provided. Subsequently, a first focus point is dedicated to an in-depth explanation of the functions of the Departments responsible for guiding the development of a new vehicle and to the interactions between them: in this phase Product Planning in parallel with the Style Center, with the support of the Program Team and the Performance Team, define every aspect of the car that will affect the customer experience. A second focus point addresses the Lifecycle Management phase: after the end of the vehicle development and the commercial launch, Product Planning leads the Lifecycle Animation activities based on new market trends, regulations and actions by competitors, promoting the product long-term success.