Introduction Every organization faces unexpected issues—but how you respond defines your success. When deviations from standard procedures are mismanaged or ignored, the result can be catastrophic: product recalls, regulatory fines, and irreparable brand damage. A deviation in manufacturing refers to a temporary or unplanned departure from approved procedures, specifications, or standards during the production process. […]
Jon M Quigley The Benefits of Swim Lane Process Flows for Engineering, Manufacturing, and Procurement Swim lane process flow benefits in product development. Product development is a complex journey that involves multiple teams and departments, including engineering, manufacturing, and procurement. This requires coordination across the board, not optimization of a single department, but balancing the […]
Jon M Quigley Change is inevitable, including in the manufacturing industry. Whether it’s for cost reduction, supplier updates, design improvements, or compliance requirements, moving from one version of components on a manufacturing line to another is a critical process that must be carefully controlled to protect product quality and continuity. The process begins with the Engineering Change […]
Why You Should Stop Calling It an Engineering Change and Start Saying Enterprise Change When I hear the phrase Engineering Change, alarm bells go off in my head. Not because I have something against engineers—I am one—but because the term limits the conversation and the scope of our thinking. In my decades of experience, I’ve […]
What is a Project Escalation Plan in Product Development? A project escalation plan for product development is a structured approach to identify, address, and resolve issues that threaten a project’s goals, timelines, or budget. These plans ensure problems are managed before they impact overall product success. To illustrate, and this is not my project, I was a […]
Prototype Parts vs Production Parts: Understanding Key Differences and the Path to Production Introduction The journey from an initial concept to a finished product involves several crucial stages, including prototyping and production. For both engineers and procurement teams, it’s vital to understand the differences between prototype parts, their uses, and the technical, regulatory, and supply chain […]
What Is Configuration Management in Manufacturing? Configuration management (CM) is a systematic process that ensures all aspects of a product—manufacturing equipment, software, or both—remain consistent with their original specifications and intended functionality throughout their lifecycle. In manufacturing, configuration management aligns the product’s performance, functional, and physical attributes with requirements, design, and operational information from […]
My thoughts on this LinkedIn post Judging a process by its outcomes in organizations, teams, and even personal projects is common. When things go awry, the immediate instinct is often to blame the process itself. However, this overlooks a crucial distinction: a well-designed process can still yield poor results if executed improperly. Consider a […]
Why Purchasing Matters in Project Management Purchasing is a cornerstone of successful project management, directly impacting cost, quality, and schedule. Purchasing and supplier selection figure prominently in product development and project management, emphasizing that effective purchasing is not just about buying goods or services—it’s about strategic supplier selection, risk management, and aligning procurement with project […]