Glossary of terms for Product Development.   Version 0.7.8

   

A-sample

A representative of the product in a low number of attributes.  Generally these are hand made models or updates on current or similar items.

Attribute

A quality or characteristic inherent in or ascribed to the product in whole or in part.

B-sample

A representative of the product in all respects but not necessarily from production tools.  These are generally hand made or from prototype tools.

Benchmarking

The process by which a business compares its own performance, products, and services with those of other businesses that are recognised as the best in a particular category or class.  The product or service that is determined to be the industry standard is known as a benchmark.

Brand

A name, term, sign, symbol, design or a combination of all of these used to uniquely identify the products of a business that differentiate them from the products of the competition.

Brainstorming

A technique for generating ideas, developing creativity, or problem solving in small groups, through the free flowing contributions of all the participants.

C-sample

A representative of the product in all respects and is produced with the production intent tooling.  The correct manufacturing process may not be used for these parts.

Capability (of process) Assurance by measurement that a process produces the required product repeatably and reproducibly.

Competition (the)

A business relation in which two or more parties compete to gain customers.

Component One of the parts of a sub-system or system of which a manufactured product is made up and into which it may be resolved.
Consumables Parts and materials that are used in the manufacture of products but are themselves not part of the final product. These items are effectively consumed during the manufacture of the product.

Containment

A containment is a short term solution that may be inefficient to adopt but will quickly isolate customers from the effects of a problem.

Cost model (of product)

A representation of the financial aspects of the product that can be used to report the project and product financial status.  Can be used to calculate the future product financial status.

Cost Tracking Sheet

A document that lists all the costs associated with a bought-in part or service.  The historical and current cost information is shown.

Critical path

The sequence of inter-dependent tasks that aggregate to determine the minimum duration of the project.  A delay in any task on the critical path can have a significant impact on the project deadline.

CSO

Customer Sign Off – Approval by a customer representative that the product meets the original product requirements.

Customer

The individual or body that purchases the product.

An internal customer is within of the business.

An external customer is outside of the business.

Customer representative

The individual or body that is internal to the business but act as external customers for the purpose of validating the product.

D-sample

A wholly representative of the product in all respects including the production intent tooling and the correct manufacturing process.  These parts can be deemed saleable.

Deliverables Measurable outputs or change produced by a given program or activity.

Design

The information and data required to adequately describe the product to allow all the component parts to be manufactured and the product to be assembled.

Design of Experiments

A statistical quality tool that for estimates the impacts of variables on problems.

DFA

Design For Assembly.  A tool to ensure the product is efficient in terms of parts count and to confirm that all the individual parts of the design are required.

DFMEA

Design Failure Mode Effect Analysis.  A tool specifically used to analyse the design of the area of interest.

Design Engineer (Product)

The Engineer concerned with the design and construction of the product.  In most cases the product Design Engineer will be involved in nearly all the phases of the project and may have ownership of features, functions, attributes, components of the product.

DSO

Design Sign Off – Approval by the Engineering representative that the product design is complete, validated and meets the original product requirements.

Dry build A controlled activity where each part or component is assembled in an engineering environment. Used to confirm there are no assembly problems prior to a prototype manufacturing product build event.

End of life

The end of life is the duration for which the product is expected to operate within the design requirements.  Degradation in performance can occur but as soon as the performance reduces to the design limit end of life has been reached.

Engineering

The business function concerned with the creative activities of designing and developing goods and services.

Engineering Management

Those who control or direct the Engineering activity and are directly responsible for the product Design Engineer.

Error handling

A process by which an unexpected situation is dealt with.  This continues until the unexpected situation is resolved.

ESO

Engineering Sign Off – Approval by the Engineering representative that the product meets the original product requirements.

Factholder

An individual that is deemed to be the most knowledgeable of the area of interest.

FMEA A tool specifically used to reduce the occurrence and severity of potential failures of the area of interest.

FTT

First Time Through – A percentage measure of how many products are manufactured completely clean through all the manufacturing processes with no manufacturing mistakes.

Futured market

A prediction of the state of the marketplace at a future point in time.

Gateway

A point in time where the status of the project is reviewed against the process deliverables.  A gateway can only be passed if all the process deliverables for that gateway are achieved.

Hard points

Elements or parts of a product or process that cannot be changed.  These aspects are basically outside the scope of the project.

Hidden factory

Undocumented processes or activities carried out as part of a larger process or activity.  The hidden factory activities are normally carried out to correct deficiencies in the main process or correct errors in the outputs of previous activities.

Halo effect

A favourable (or unfavourable) impression falsely created to influence the customer's impression of other products.

Industry standards

The process of establishing agreement on uniform identifications for definite characteristics of quality, design, performance, quantity, service, etc.

Information technology

Computing equipment often used to automate tasks or to store large amounts of information.

Launch team

A highly motivated team of individuals who's role is to ensure a smooth transition of the product from the design sign off to current production.

Manufacturing

The business function concerned with the making and assembly of the product.  This will include the Manufacturing planning and Engineering functions.

Marketing

The business function concerned with the activities which identifies, anticipates and satisfies customer requirements.

Marketplace

The group of consumers or organisations that is interested in the product, has the resources to purchase the product and is allowed by law and other regulations to purchase the product.

Media

Forms of mass communication.  Used to carry advertising or information relating to a product.

Milestone

A point in time where the status of the project is reviewed against the process deliverables.  A milestone can be passed if all the process deliverables for that milestone are achieved or good plans are in place to achieve the process deliverables.

MSO Manufacturing Sign Off – Approval by the manufacturing representative that the manufacturing process is capable to robustly manufacture the product.

Objective measurement

A process of quantifying events or attributes of objects where there is little or no interpretation made by the observer. This is typically assessed with a consistent scale of engineering units.

Patent infringements

The use of patent protected technology without the authorisation of the patent holder, intended or otherwise.

PFMEA

Process Failure Mode Effect Analysis.  A tool specifically used to analyse the manufacturing process of the area of interest.

Process

A series of tasks, activities and checkpoints that are followed in a prescribed way.

Product

A product is a good or service which can be bought and sold. A product is anything that can be offered to a market that might satisfy a want or need.

Product Manager

An individual who is solely responsible for the product.  This individual will have the highest level of authority within the organisation for the product.

Project

A managed set of resources that deliver one or more products.  A project must have a defined start and finish.  A project must have a set of defined deliverables and a schedule of activities.

Project Management

Those responsible for planning, directing, monitoring, and controlling the project.  The Project Management is responsible for meeting the customer requirements.

Prototype

A representation of the product in whole or part that is used as a model for review or test of the whole or part of the product.

PSW Part Submission Warrant. Affirmation that the supplied materials or parts meets the agreed design standards and are manufactured with a capable process.

Quality history

A record of all the problems that have occurred with the area of interest and the resolutions developed.

Quality maturation

The process by which the product is refined to better meet the requirements of both internal and external customers. The product quality is matured.

Quality Team

Those who define and monitor standards, practices and procedures to ensure the product requirements are met.

Repeatability This is the variation in measurements obtained with one checking fixture when used multiple times by an operator when measuring the identical characteristic on the same part.
Reproducibility This is the variation in the average of the measurements made by different measurers when using the same checking fixture when measuring the identical characteristic on the same part.

Resources

The raw materials, supplies, capital equipment, finances, factories, offices, labour, management and entrepreneurial skills that are used in producing products.

RFT

Right First Time – A percentage measure of how many products contain no faults at the end the manufacturing process.  Any manufacturing mistakes are corrected within the manufacturing processes.  These mistake corrections can sometimes be referred to as a hidden factory process.

Screening

A process by which the best product proposal is identified from many alternative potential products.

Senior Management Team

Those who control or direct the business.

Sigma Standard deviation - A measure of dispersion of data. It is defined as the square root of variance.

Software download

The ability to update or change the software level in a product in a manufacturing or service environment.

SPC Statistical Process Control. A method of statistical sampling to help detect when special causes of variation have crept, or are creeping, into the manufacturing process.
Standard deviation A measure of dispersion of data. It is defined as the square root of variance. Can be referred to as Sigma.

Stakeholders

Individuals or organisations that have an interest in the project, product, system, sub-system or component.

Status (RAG)

This is a high level method of reporting the status of a deliverable:

R – Red.  There are no plans to achieve the deliverable or a currently insurmountable obstacle has been found.

A – Amber.  The deliverable is not complete but good plans are in place with no known obstacles.

G – Green.  The deliverable is complete to the satisfaction of all the stakeholders.

Subjective measurement

A process of quantifying events or attributes of objects by assigning numbers to them based on the observer’s internal experience.  This is typically assessed with a rating scale.

Sub-system A collection of components organised to accomplish a specific function or set of functions. Sub-systems come together to form systems.

SWOT analysis

A tool used to identify the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of the area of interest.

System A collection of components and / or sub-systems organised to accomplish a specific function or set of functions. Systems come together to make the complete product.

Test Engineer

This is the Engineer responsible for conducting the tests to validate the, components, sub-systems, systems and product.  The test Engineer can also be the design Engineer.

Timing plan

Used to communicate when a desired series of chronologically arranged events and activities will take place.

Training

The acquisition of knowledge, skills, and competencies as a result of the teaching of vocational or practical skills and knowledge that relate to specific useful competencies.

Tuneable parameter A value or attribute of the product, system, sub-system or component that can be readily adjusted to give the desired outcome.

USP

Unique Selling Proposition.  Distinguishes the product from the competition.  A differentiator that the competition cannot claim.

UUT

Unit Under Test – This can be any product, systems, sub-systems or component that is the subject of a test.

Validation

The process by which the design of the product reviewed or tested and confirmed as good.

Value add

Used to describe the work or activities carried out by a process or activity.  In manufacturing terms value add represents all the assembly processes or activities.

Verification

The process by which the validated design is confirmed it is as intended.

Walk the process

This is where the manufacturing process in its entirety is witnessed.  Generally used to establish where errors can be, or are being made.

   
 
If you are not sure how we can help you, then please contact us.

Free on-line self assessment tool
Home