Complex process, product, and supplier structures require effective quality and inspection planning in the early stages of your project lifecycle. Inspection Plan Management is a vital component of quality management. The inspection criteria of the company’s entire quality-related activities are defined here in conjunction with the control plan for the assurance of product and process quality.

Statistical process control (SPC) is a methodology for helping you measure and control quality throughout the product lifecycle. SPC includes tools to help you detect tolerance variances, identify root causes, and correct defects. In a typical SPC process, users create control charts to graphically plot and distinguish between coincidental and systemic quality factors that can influence production.

Suppliers can be an integral part of any company’s new product development process. As companies continue to look for ways to improve quality and reduce costs, they are more often engaging suppliers to provide selected product parts and components. A strong supplier assessment process also helps you clarify roles and set appropriate expectations. With this process, however, comes the responsibility to make sure that each of your suppliers is performing to your standards and is a suitable match as a business partner.