This thesis has been performed at Autoliv Sverige AB in Vårgårda. The purpose of the thesis is to study and evaluate concept development methods which could be implemented and potentially improve the current concept development process at Autoliv. Where methods could have no potential improvement should short term suggestions, which could be implemented promptly, be developed with direct or indirect impact on the process. The suggestions for improvement should make the process more effective, more robust and more resource efficient.

The approach for this thesis followed the process for process development by Willoch (2012). The thesis work started with a literature review of the theoretical framework for product, concept and process development. The start also included a study of different methods for concept development. In theory and practise the current concept development process was then studied. A requirement specification was defined to support the suggestions for potential improvement. The theory and empirical study, together with the specification, became the basis for the suggested potential improvement. The implementation of suggestions was one of the limitations for this thesis work and therefore excluded.

The suggestions for potential improvement were separated in long and short term suggestions. The long term suggestions were mainly a modification of the current concept development process where three phases was increased into four phases. The first phase in the current process contained both planning and concept generation. By separating those two activities the concept generation was more defined and could provide a more robust concept. From the concept development methods the Agile thinking was suggested to be implemented to provide the process an iterative approach and by that an increased efficiency. The short term suggestions were e.g. Pre-APDS improvement forum, overview of parallel work, training, objectives and reduction of disturbance factors. The purpose with the short term suggestions, which could be implemented promptly, was to complement the long-term suggestions and increase the continuous improvements of the Pre-APDS process