Case Study:
Product Performance Repository
Problem:
A major device manufacturer had recently revised their strategy to focus on rapid new product introduction rather than long term product enhancements. Unexpectedly, this change created significant operational challenges, as the pace of technology transfer had escalated exponentially. Additionally, the need to quickly transfer stable products to external manufacturing sites was now critical.
Operations was seen to be a competitive disadvantage if they could not increase their ability to absorb new products more effectively — the client’s operation status was dysfunctional. There was a need for immediate process characterization data, but meanwhile IT had embarked on a long term data warehouse and data harmonization project. Neither organization was supportive of the other’s requirements.
In response, the client established a program to create a subset of the enterprise data warehouse focused on product performance. However initially, both IM and Operations envisioned low odds of success for the program.
Solution:
Endeavor was retained to provide a series of strategic assessments and recommendations. Our initial deliverable was to provide a mapping of the capabilities required by engineering, and to establish a database model that would meet those needs.
Endeavor helped the client to establish a phased approach that provided immediate process data characteristics to the technology transfer organization. This process didn’t hamper the ITs ability to fulfill long term requirements. Our approach turned the client’s program from a hindrance into something that transformed long term goals into platform realities. It provided phased capabilities that came with near term value as the program evolved.
Benefit:
The client has utilized the Endeavor product performance repository to support both the original goals of the program, as well as take advantage of significant unplanned benefits.
Their operations team not only met their commitments to new product introduction, but transferred products without incident throughout their internal and external networks.
The characterization process also increased the client’s engineering knowledge of their own existing processes, and supported a number of CIP projects. The architecture has proved to be flexible enough so that new data elements have been phased in more rapidly and cost effectively than previously envisioned.