QUALITY PLAN

This plan includes everything to ensure that:

• The product Quality philosophy and goals are defined.
• The plan outlines how Quality Assurance and Control are to be implemented and managed.
• The various processes can be monitored and improved.
• Good Product Engineering Practices3 are utilized.
• The production line maintains a valid manufacturing process.
• The service function maintains an appropriate level of response.
• In-line, end-of-line or statistical tests/metrics are defined and used.
• Supply chain monitoring/controls are controlled.
• User & Market requirements for the product are validated, monitored and improved.
• That the overall quality can be monitored, measured and improved

Now, from the Product and Quality Plans comes the…

PRODUCT REQUIREMENTS SPECIFICATION

This Specification describes the complete functionality, performance and appearance of the product from the User(s) and Market viewpoint. It includes detailed definitions for: (1) the way the product interacts with the user(s), (2) the way the product interacts with other systems and the environment, (3) what features the product requires for the market, (4) what features the product requires to meet or beat competition and (5) what legal and regulatory issues must be addressed. This document is used the gauge for final Product Validation; i.e. to prove that the correct product has been designed as defined in this specification; that it is useful. It includes, but is not limited to:

• Target costs - COM, COGS, warranty, amortized development, tooling, planned cost reductions, End-Of-Life costs as they effect the design.
• Complete functionality which meets User, market and corporate requirements
• Visual & Ergonomics requirements
• Lifetime and warranty goals
• Production and test requirements
• Regulatory agency requirements
• Environmental requirements
• Quality & Reliability requirements
• Service & Warranty requirements
• Field Test (aka: User Test, Market Test, Beta Test) requirements & methodologies. This test validates the market and User view of the product (i.e. its usefulness), since it includes all aspects of the product which affect the User and Market acceptance. Many times the results of the FVT will cause changes in the product. But, this should be expected and planned for especially if the product requirements are not well thought-out initially (a common malady).