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News from PDSS Inc.
"Leading the Future in Product Development" 
July 2013- Vol 6, Issue 7
In This Issue
How CPD&M Strengthens Partnership Agreements
Greetings!
Skip has some quick tips on how Critical Parameter Development & Management (CPD&M) can help strengthen your partnership agreements. A win-win for all parties involved. Enjoy the rest of the summer!
-Carol
How CPD&M Strengthens Partnership Agreements

Partnering is, at its core, two or more independent organizations coming together to produce unique results that would be difficult as independent entities. Vendors and suppliers are partners that work with you to fulfill your customer's needs. They are part of your brand identity. Partnering is an interactive relationship that brings differentiated skills together to produce value to both organizations, even though they are not merging in any formal or legal way such as we see during a merger or acquisition (see last month's newsletter).

 

How Good is Your Partner's PDP?

 

Every company has a Product Development Process (PDP) that will tell a lot about the nature, culture and discipline of how well the company prevents problems during development projects. Quickly cobbling together a prototype just enough to begin testing is a sign of a high risk, ad hoc approach. When talking to a potential partner, if you hear "we go fast" or some variant, it may really mean "we wing it" if they can't show the tasks and tools, methods and best practices that assure the tasks are done properly the first time through. If you've been following my work, you won't be surprised to learn that I believe the discipline of Critical Parameter Development & Management (CPD&M) will help you build strong, profitable partnerships!

 

I recommend going through a product development process alignment exercise together with your candidate partners. Review what is done and why in each Phase of both of your PDP's and discuss the documented results of several projects. If their PDP is not written down and prominently displayed as a form of discipline that has produced repeatable results in terms of product functional performance, durability, robustness and reliability - then beware!

 

Tips for Evaluating Your Partner's PDP using CPD&M

  1. The partner's PDP should be open for inspection - deep, intricate inspection. It should be a source of pride; proving how methodical they are in preventing problems and doing things right the first time as much as possible. 
  2. The 12 Steps of CPD&M, when used as a Check List, should be easily identified within their work flow. Names and terminology may vary, but a sharp eye will find the gaps and commonalities with a few probative questions. Two of my favorite questions are: a) How do you develop and measure reliability before you start formal system-level reliability tests? and b) How do you measure impending failure?
  3. Do show them your CPD&M Check List. It's a form of due diligence that sets expectations and your high standards of how good, safe and reasonable product development should be conducted.
  4. If there are no gaps between your 12-Step CPD&M Check List and their PDP, then congratulations and go for it! Otherwise, begin a dialog on the various ways to address the gaps on a reasonable timeline. The more you come together on these common standards of product development excellence, the safer and more comfortable it will be to partner over the long-term.
  5. Options for gap closure include training and coaching the potential partner in CPD&M using your own Subject Matter Experts at their site, inviting them to attend your own internal training/mentoring program or suggest they seek appropriate outside help. You can ask them to pay for the training and coaching, or you can offer the training/mentoring in exchange for preferential rates for their services once you are in agreement about how they will conduct their development work.

CPD&M can bring two or more partners into synchronicity, eliminating inefficiencies, waste, and the absence of development knowledge found in ad hoc development "dis" organizations. Essential to a strong partnership is agreement on what development tasks truly add value, how long each of those tasks takes when done right the first time, and which tools, methods and best practices are trusted to produce results.

 

Is there a topic you'd like us to write about? Have a question? We appreciate your feedback and suggestions! Simply "reply-to" this email. Thank you!
 
Sincerely,
Carol Biesemeyer
Business Manager and Newsletter Editor

Product Development Systems & Solutions Inc.

 

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About PDSS Inc.
Product Development Systems & Solutions (PDSS) Inc.  is a professional services firm dedicated to assisting companies that design and manufacture complex products.  We help our clients accelerate their organic growth and achieve sustainable competitive advantage through functional excellence in product development and product line management.
  
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