The relevance of cost management starting in the early phases of product development is fundamentally based on two different factors. On one hand, the potential for cost influence in development or design is very pronounced, as approximately 80% of the total product costs are determined in these early phases of product creation. On the other hand, there is a conflict of objectives between the economic goals of a company and the subjective goals of developers and designers (the "overengineering" problem) within a product development process. This empirically oriented study has addressed the described conflict of objectives and focused particularly on the individuals involved in the process. By analyzing 198 data sets, various recommendations for action and causal relationships in cost-oriented product developments were identified.