REvoLUTIoNARY IQcook • BOšTJAN PEčNIK, STEERING ... - Gorenje

InSIDE TRACk
GOREnJE´S BOšTJAn PEčnIk
steerIng
InnOVATIOn
drIvIng
DEVELOPmEnT
Boštjan Pečnik followed up his degree in mechanical engineering with
a position at Gorenje in 1996 working in research and development for
cooking appliances, becoming head of the department the following
year. from 2002 to 2003, he was head of research and development for
small motor-driven kitchen appliances for the Bosch & Siemens Group,
before returning to Gorenje as Director of the cooking appliances
programme. Since 2006 he has served as Executive Director for
Research and Development.
mAnCA kRnEL HESS SAšA HESS
let’s start with a better understanding of the development
process: how long does the average project last; and how soon
after finishing with the last do you start up with the next?
research projects are set for at least five years in advance and
development projects for the next four, particularly when it comes
to major development projects for new generations of appliances
whose life cycles are already known. the r&d team works today
on the things that will become competitive in five years. that way
you don't lose track of where things are. For those shorter, simpler
projects that can be carried out inside a six month period, more
short-term activities are planned. generally speaking, however,
development projects are a long distance run.
trends in the white goods industry are known and represent the
basis on which we try to define the main research areas. research
deals with energy efficiency, new materials, new functionalities.
everything is subordinated to the main goal, namely that when
projected needs occur in the market we will be able to react
promptly. We have therefore defined development plans for all
product mAnCA areas kRnEL in gorenje. HESS of course PETER these plans mARInšEk are revised once a
year to see whether any corrections are necessary.
16 GORENJE LIfE STYLE MAGAZINE
So what should a developer be like?
a developer must be a bit of a chameleon: once an idea has
matured in their mind they must first of all be ambitious enough to
sell the idea to their immediate team in the company, which means
they have to get their collaborators fired up about it. this is one of
the developers' biggest challenges.
innovation is basically something new, but its course is
nevertheless predictable – you’ve already mentioned trends.
what trends in innovation can we talk about?
the main trends comprise ageing of the population, ever smaller
families, lack of time and of course, the arrival of the young internet
generation. our parents' generations, for example, want to be able
to control their appliances at the touch of a button. too much
electronics can be confusing and even intimidating for them.
Younger consumers on the other hand are already familiar with
electronic interfaces and in a few years they will definitely become
commonplace. they represent a mode of control they are close to
and is the only one they trust.