3. Identify your strategic partners

Not all your partners have the same influence on the product. Therefore, they cannot be considered as equally important sources of innovation. Place your partner(s) in the following categories:

• Partners sharing risks and profits. Concept development and system-level design are often carried out with partners who share risks and profits. These partners are sometimes drawn from past collaborations and correspond to the company's strategic choices. They play an important role in the technical orientation of the product, but can also have a significant influence on the definition of the target market, the positioning vis-à-vis competitors, and the appropriation of market trends.

• Design partners. They are involved in module design, but must also take into account production requirements. They can also have a profound...