We all would like a clear path to achieve what we need.  But we all know that it’s not the clear sections of the path where we spend most of our time.  In product development many of these events we label as “obstacles” are in fact other individuals.

If these team members are noted as being strong enough to be considered an obstacle that means they have strength.  This is a good quality in a team member.  If we were to get ourselves headed in “generally” the same direction a lot of progress could be made very quickly.

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If you finish the Design Failure Mode Effects Analysis (DFMEA) before the product is out in the field, you have made a horrible mistake. The worst DFMEA that can occur is one that is completed and filed away mid-program. A high value DFMEA is a live tool that has both inputs and directive outputs throughout the program. A tool that is interwoven into the day to day activity of the program.  The DFMEA drives actions and aids decisions both technically and in project management.  It is updated with design changes that change risk and mitigative strategies.

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The formal definition of reliability is …

“The probability that an item will perform its intended function under stated conditions, for either a specified interval or over its useful life.”

The three key terms in this statement are

• Intended Function
• Stated Conditions
• Specific Interval

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The effectiveness of “Design for X” (DfX) methodology is often limited by the non-negotiable “freeze” gates in the product development process.  Freezes become points of negotiation instead of directing scheduling and resource decisions.  Design changes continue past “design freeze” commonly resulting in an inefficient multi-iterative process.

A design freeze is the wrong tool for the job.  Design Freeze is a “Put your pencils down” methodology.  This leaves no room for input to the decision to halt activity other than what was available when the freeze gate was set.  Often a good deal of new information about the design and program has been created between the program creation and the freeze. [Read more…]

I find it interesting when high end brands look to maximize profit by going for the money grab of lowering quality while maintaining price point.  It seems so foolishly short sighted. The amountof work that goes into creating a highly reputable brand is extensive and decades in the making.  Brands can be tarnished very quick and very difficult to recover.  So why do this?  A few reasons I have seen:

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We’ll the boat saga continues.  As I shared she has turned out to be a cruel mistress.  Enticing and a thrill at times and then without warnign I get the cold shoulder.   So I am going to take a well known reliability strategy with her.  Hopefully we can just be in love again with all of our interactions being nothing but bliss.  it’s the oldest reliability trick in the book. “Less is More”  The less parts you have the less there is to break.

The more I have gone through this fuel injection system the more amazed I am it has worked this long.  The main power relays on the motor are automotive i.e. not for a very wet and humid application. Then !!!(this is infuriating) they are mounted upside down so the seams for the protective cover are on top. This is a boat motor compartment.  It has water in the bottom that get’s heated up when the motor runs. Then cools off, condensates after use.  Over and over again.  That is basically a humidity cycling chamber.

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I just finished my talk today at the Applied Reliability and Durability Conference in Portland Oregon.  A great conference in a fun city. My topic was “Reliability Test and Analysis with Intent.”  I explain a technique I have developed called “Anchoring” which ensures that reliability tools maintain connectivity to program phases throughout product development. Enjoy!

-Adam