Product Management
The ability to effectively manage production and customer drawings, engineering specs and quality documents is important for all manufacturers, but for companies that build engineer-to-order (ETO) products it is especially critical. Companies who create ETO products work to meet customer requirements, which can sometimes seem like a moving target throughout production. For these companies, tracking [...]
When it comes to product management, standard processes and theories work 90% of the time, but the last 10% is certainly an art. At Arena, we try to find a balance between listening to our customers, and looking ahead to see the possibilities of where technology is going so we can take the best advantage [...]
When it comes to manufacturing a product, there is a certain level of risk that is impossible to avoid. No matter how much planning you do, something will eventually come along that takes your organization completely by surprise—whether it’s an earthquake, a major part recall or an irresolvable conflict with your CM. But in spite [...]
Several weeks ago, I published an article discussing the impact of global instability on supply chain management. Now our partner Global Supply Chain Solutions (GSCS) is hosting a webinar on the topic, intended to help manufacturers navigate risk and achieve a more secure supply chain during uncertain times. The webinar, which will be held Thursday, [...]
I wrote a bit on Tuesday about the importance of documenting part information during the design process, and today I’d like to talk about another type of documentation that is commonly overlooked in organizations—the documentation of fixtures and jigs. We talk to many people working in high-functioning manufacturing departments who document everything thoroughly and consistently [...]
As Cisco closes its “Flip Camera” chapter of history, it’s shutting down a 400 million dollar business, letting go of 550 employees and spending $300 million in restructuring costs. But given the circumstances, abandoning Flip may just be the right choice for Cisco. Since venturing into the world of consumer products and acquiring Pure Digital—the [...]
We frequently hear about organizations that rely on the “old” way of doing things to avoid the perceived risks and costs of implementing a new system. But when it comes to managing your product data, maintaining the status quo can cost you in the long run, while the risk of evaluating and embracing new systems [...]
Whether your purview is operations, supply chain management, new product development/new product introduction or executive management, you’ll find information you can use in these two well-established—and newly free—resources. APICS, the Association of Operations Management, has made its APICS Operations Management Body of Knowledge (OMBOK) Framework available to the public, free of charge, for the first [...]
This is the final installment on how to gather and use relevant product feedback. In an earlier post I laid out this three-step framework: Go get it. Share it. Live it. In Step 1 I offered advice on how to collect good market information, and in Step 2 I described the importance of sharing that [...]
In the start of this series, I laid out a framework for gathering and using relevant product feedback: Go get it. Share it. Live it. Gathering the information is the critical first step in the process and it can be very rewarding. It’s great when people validate our ideas and it’s even better when they [...]
