Continuous Improvement Of Research And Development Mechanism

Published Date: 02 Nov 2017

Introduction

Microsoft hundreds of millions of users around the world in the past two decades as one of the world's most successful companies provides the enormous software products. And to their own practical experience reveals hidden in the software industry vitality and huge commercial value.

I think that Microsoft's continued success is mainly due to three things: (1) Technology: the spirit of innovation to grasp the pulse of technology development, to ensure the efficiency of the enterprise at a reasonable R & D system, persistent focus on the development of the software industry; (2) The art of leadership: the top decision-makers has excellent ability and insight, a clear division of labor and perfect cooperation; (3) Talent: multi-channel discovery and employment of personnel, effective talent screening mechanism for talent to sustain the culture and Appreciating use the following I depart from these four aspects were introduced Microsoft's operational and management experience.

1.1 Technology: Microsoft beacon of hope

1.1.1 Continuing to innovate

Microsoft understands the importance of to grasp technical direction in this environment. When Microsoft Basic products of the early success of the commencement of the research and development of DOS. Subsequently, Microsoft Office and other software accumulation, start the Windows NT, Windows 2000, Windows XP, such as the research and development of next-generation operating system. When the arrival of the Internet wave, Microsoft lost no time in one of the network research and development, and continues to introduce new products. Today, Microsoft took a lot of resources into seamless computing core direction and innovation in the development of MSN, mobile software, digital TV, XBOX high confidence, natural user interface.

The promotion of the technology wave, Microsoft is always the technology research and development placed in a key position, and technology as the only long-term continuation of wealth and advantage.

1.1.2 Strategizing "chief architect"

Enterprises must have one of the highest technical decision makers. Now, Microsoft's decision-maker is Bill Gates, Microsoft's "chief architect."

As the chief architect, Bill Gates' job is to develop the company's long-term technology roadmap and confirm that each administrative sector research programs are complementary rather than overlapping. He therefore asked the company's products and technology sector to do technical report to him, most of these reporting "brainstorming" types of discussion meetings. Do such a report, in addition to Bill Gates' feedback, each project team can also benefit in the process of preparing. Because the project team before the report must be prepared to answer the various problems the Bill may ask to thoroughly research the market, technology, competitors and other information, thus avoiding the risk of behind closed doors.

In addition, Bill Gates very year pumping two periods, "closed-door" way to think alone, which is known as Bill Gates Think Week. Gates usually work hard at reading the filtered material and technical advice, write down their own ideas, quiet reflection, and ultimately make some important decisions that have a greater impact on the company's technology strategy.

1.1.3 Continuous improvement of research and development mechanism

Faster and better technology of the future into reality software products, Microsoft not only on technology research and development invested a lot of resources, and to establish a sound technical management system. Bill Gates set up the department of engineering excellence, responsible for ensuring that the company's R & D mechanism is dynamic, the development process is the most efficient development of the software is safe and reliable, and to avoid overlap between different departments developed. This sector has real power management company engineering processes, so as to lead the entire company to go in the front end of the software industry.

In order to promote the transfer of research results, Microsoft researchers are encouraged to act as the marketing new technologies and marketing of scientific and technological achievements to the product sector, but also encourage departments to user needs and industry development trend timely feedback to the research department. Bill Gates said in a speech recently, Microsoft need to do two types of things, one is to meet the user's needs, is to meet the future needs of the user. This indicates that Microsoft has research and development as the two main lines of development of the company.

1.1.4 Focus on the most good software business

Microsoft is a company focused on the research and development of software technology and software products. Although Microsoft is also investing in MSN and other content services and XBOX hardware products, these products the ultimate goal is to promote the software and software platforms. Microsoft is always the main software, most of Microsoft's sales revenue is created by the software.

"Focus" of the company is very important, because the success of a company from the attention of the manager or leader. Many of the company's leaders may be because of the rush to development, to lead to the development of a number of different directions. For example, some large IT companies accumulated some wealth after the funds will be put into hardware, service, or even real estate, media and other industries. To do so would distract the attention of the company, and the leader of the company it would not have the ability or passion to manage these new Companies founded. Microsoft leadership is always to focus on the software business of seven based business sector. Seven departments are committed to develop software, the software platform as the core, to Bill Gates ‧ architect. In this way, the leaders of the seven departments in order to have a common language, common management, common focus and passion of the software, without being distracted by things they are not good or not interested in, in order to look like a duck to develop their potential in Microsoft .

1.2 Leadership: Microsoft the source of the success of.

Microsoft's success is due to has two outstanding leaders: Bill Gates and Steve Ballmer. Later, Steve again divided into seven business sector; every department is responsible for a range of products and users.

1.2.1 The Chief Architect, Bill Gates

Bill another job is to coordinate the investment of the company's software and to avoid overlapping investment of seven business sector. He will conduct in-depth understanding of an important technology development tasks to a particular department, and the other six departments requesting the department as an important customer, it also requires six other departments do not overlap investment.

Bill Gates is also responsible for determining the allocation of technical resources of the company-wide of seven business sector in R & D direction. Most companies may be the most resources will be allocated in the most profitable sectors. But Microsoft is not to do so. For example, the number of the Microsoft Office product development department, not many, on the contrary, the Server and Tools Division has the largest number of technical staff. This is mainly because Microsoft in the background facing more intense competition in the market, the need to devote more resources to be developed as soon as possible ahead of competitors such as IBM, Sun heavyweight.

Microsoft is successful because of Bill Gates has a good partner Steve Ballmer. They Courage to change, adaptable: Bill and Steve are very strong ability to adapt to the situation changes in a timely manner to adjust their roles and ways of working. Two of them are constantly learning, and constantly improve their own work.

The company is full of love and passion: Bill and Steve had not to make money and work, but to the company, for the user, in order to enjoy the passion and joy to work.

Trust, mutual support: For Microsoft, the most unusual is that both Bill and Steve to trust each other, and jointly promote the development of Microsoft. They never struggle for power, political disputes of a class of problems. This is the most valuable thing in today's reality, selfish society, but also Microsoft's road to success elephants.

1.3 Talent: Microsoft Founding of the.

The company's core wealth is how to find out those talents in a group. In the information age, the value of talent is particularly important. They must be good at tracking, mining, interviewing, hiring, evaluation, training, attention and retain talent, and talent should be regarded as one of the company's most important tasks related work.

1.3.1 Always on the lookout: tracking and mining personnel

Talent of one of the most direct manifestation of the managers to be good at hiring high-level talent, and the Microsoft managers at all levels are very good at discovering and hiring personnel, whether the other side is the talent of the master, or university graduates or people leave the company.

1.3.2 Best use: attention and retain talent

Many people believe that the key to retaining talent is the treatment. Indeed, everyone should benefit from appropriate treatment, but a software practitioners, he more valued the work environment. Compared to improve the treatment of employees, Microsoft pays more attention to provide an attractive and retain the human environment, including:

There are numerous products that allow employees to use their talent and potential to make the greatest contribution;

Sufficient resources to support, so that everyone does not have to worry about it;

Best team and open, equal environment, so everyone has to learn from each other, the opportunity to learn from each other;

Attractive research work, to get everyone to love their work;

The leaders understand and support employees, so that everyone can immediately following the company's general direction at the same time, there is still enough space and freedom to develop their talents and pursue their dreams.

1.3.3 Responsibility advanced, from beginning to end

With the object of concern of the company and a leader, but also have enough sense of responsibility in order to get things done. Microsoft requires every employee must have a clear goal at the same time, and these goals must be "SMART", that is:

     ‧ S - Specific (specific, definite range, rather than broad)

     ‧ M - Measurable (can be measured, not vague)

     ‧ A - Attainable (idealized)

     ‧ R - Result-based (based on results rather than the act or process)

     ‧ T - Time-based (time limit, rather than within the foreseeable future)

Only everyone has a clear objective, and can be checked at any time if they are to achieve pre-set goals, employees can work reflects a strong sense of responsibility and enthusiasm.