8 - Production Sustaining

This phase represents the useful life of the product: promotion, production, distribution, support and cost reductions and upgrades.

• Service the manufacturer as needed to maintain production volumes
• Support the service function to maintain satisfied customers
• Keep a finger on the pulse of customers and competition in order to create upgrades new models, new products or even new markets.
• Watch for product indifference
• Keep alternate manufacturers in the queue should you need other avenues.
• Help the manufacturer to reduce production costs and maintain quality.
• Gauge all this to the business case.
• Modify the production processes and documents only if efficiency is increased, new regulations are required, cost is reduced or problems are resolved (there may be other legitimate reasons).
• Major upgrades or even a major cost reduction may better be considered as new models or even a different product via a new MRD.
• Only the end of the product line or other catastrophic business action should end the product at this point.