Openness Builds Stronger Cultures In the past few weeks, I’ve been reflecting on a pattern that appears across high-performing, logic-driven organizations: brilliant teams slowly losing momentum because the fight to be proper overshadows the desire to understand. Then I saw this LinkedIn article, which is the genesis of this article. I have worked on teams […]
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. […]
Transparency in Testing and Why It Matters Before going into this post, I want to apologize to Rachel Evans for not being able to attend the Automotive Testing Expo in Novi, Michigan. This goes beyond her and to all who had planned to meet me and chat about this vital topic area of product testing. There was […]
By Jon M Quigley Pareto charts for quality improvement are a powerful tool for focusing limited resources on the problems that matter most. Rather than treating all defects or process variations equally, Pareto analysis highlights the small number of issues that cause the majority of quality disruptions. This structured approach enables manufacturers to identify patterns […]
By Jon M Quigley This post is to pile on to a post by Robert Fey on LinkedIn. Below is a brief brainstorm of issues that can arise in product development and testing, resulting in poor outcomes. Your thoughts are welcome. Here is a list of common failures in the context of software verification work […]
Configuration Management Vehicle Platforms – Practices for Multi-Project Success In the dynamic world of vehicle platform development, configuration management is more crucial than ever. As manufacturers innovate, multiple projects often require changes across various vehicle systems built on the same platform. Ensuring seamless, high-quality integration demands robust strategies―especially branching and merging―to keep development efficient and […]
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 […]
The Need for Transparency in Testing In the high-stakes world of automotive product development, demands to deliver vehicles on schedule often collide with the critical necessity for transparency in testing results. When timelines tighten and executive pressure mounts, the temptation to “fast-track” projects at the expense of rigorous verification grows. Yet, ensuring transparency in testing […]
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 […]
Configuration management (CM) and product testing and verification are inextricably linked processes crucial for successful product development and production. Without effective configuration management, performing effective testing becomes difficult. CM provides the foundation for efficient, reliable, and insightful testing activities in today’s complex and constantly evolving systems across automotive, aerospace, defense, and software development industries. This […]