How can you measure the success of your APQP implementation?

To measure the success of your APQP (Advanced Product Quality Planning) implementation, assess quality metrics, on-time delivery, cost reduction, customer satisfaction, and compliance with standards. Additionally, monitor process efficiency, timeliness, risk management, employee feedback, and consider benchmarking against industry standards or competitors.

From my 25+ years of experience in automotive auditing, new product line launches and failures observed during production due to inadequate APQP focus, the most visible measures are budget attainment, schedule attainment and first-time launch approval. The attribute that I see most common in successful APQP programs when an organization uses dedicated resources. For example, if a Manufacturing Engineer is required to split his or her time between advanced planning and current production, most of the time this individual will be forced to commit their time to current production. Firefighting in production take priority. However, the fires usually start due to lack of dedicated resources in APQP. Pay a little now or pay a lot later.

The measure of a successful APQP is the cost of non-conformance. Safe lunch of products without downtime and yield loss are a few immediate metrics to determine successful APQP. Ultimately, it is about risk mitigation and customer satisfaction.

Measuring the success of Advanced Product Quality Planning (APQP) through customer satisfaction is paramount. It involves actively seeking feedback from customers and stakeholders to assess their overall contentment with the product quality, delivery timeliness, and the responsiveness of the organization to their needs. High levels of customer satisfaction indicate that APQP has effectively translated into better product quality and service, meeting or exceeding customer expectations. This feedback loop not only validates the success of APQP but also guides further improvements to ensure continued customer delight.

Launch approval. Short cuts lead to failure. Follow the project management plan and control plan, document findings in the FMEA. Success follows!

En matière de qualité, le succès va au-delà de la simple réduction des défauts. Il implique une culture de qualité intégrée à tous les niveaux de l'organisation, favorisant ainsi une amélioration continue des produits et des processus. Cette approche est soutenue par des outils qualité tels que le FMEA, le MSA et le MSP. Le FMEA identifie les points faibles potentiels dès la conception, le MSA garantit la fiabilité des systèmes de mesure, tandis que le MSP optimise les processus de production. L'intégration de ces outils favorise une approche proactive de la qualité, réduisant les coûts liés aux retouches et renforçant la confiance des clients dans la fiabilité des produits

Measuring the success of Advanced Product Quality Planning (APQP) through quality metrics is essential in ensuring that the implemented processes are yielding positive results. By closely monitoring metrics such as defect rates, customer complaints, and warranty claims, an organization can gauge the effectiveness of APQP in enhancing product quality. A reduction in these metrics over time indicates that APQP has been successful in identifying and mitigating potential quality issues, resulting in improved overall product quality and customer satisfaction.

The success of APQP implementation for quality performance can be measured through several key indicators, including a reduction in defects and warranty claims, improved product reliability and customer satisfaction, timely project completion, adherence to budget, and enhanced communication and collaboration among teams. Additionally, monitoring metrics like first-pass yield, on-time delivery, and the number of engineering changes can provide insight into the effectiveness of APQP processes.

APQP measurement tools are great. However, there is a lot more to talk about before tools. AQPQ performance starts with organizational quality culture, APQP governance readiness, and many other success factors like DFSS readiness, Design release readiness, and QFD, readiness. I consider the development of metrics to measure the success of APQP input readiness more important.

Evaluating the cost control aspect of Advanced Product Quality Planning (APQP) is crucial in assessing its success. By comparing planned project budgets to actual expenditures and tracking cost savings, an organization can determine whether APQP has been effective in controlling costs. A successful APQP implementation should demonstrate cost-efficiency, helping the company allocate resources wisely and prevent budget overruns. This financial perspective ensures that APQP not only enhances product quality but also contributes positively to the organization's bottom line.

Cost and efficiency has a whole new life in the newly released APQP rev 3. There is an entire appendix dedicated to various analytical techniques that help to drive cost of quality and cost of poor quality down during the design phases. Examples include tips and illustrations on mistake-proofing, error-proofing, calculating OEE (overall equipment effectiveness) - including calculation examples - design for serviceability and risk mitigation planning. This new APQP also highlights the importance of program metrics using gates 0-5, including checklists and approvals for leadership at each stage "gate". Getting it right the first time during the design stage is the best way to mitigate expensive upgrades and changes post launch. DIRT-FT!

Assessing the success of Advanced Product Quality Planning (APQP) through on-time delivery performance is pivotal in gauging its effectiveness. A high on-time delivery rate signifies efficient project management and adherence to project timelines. When APQP processes are successful, they contribute to timely product launches, reducing delays and ensuring products reach the market as planned. This reliability in meeting delivery deadlines strengthens customer trust and contributes to overall business success.

The concept of continuous improvement (PDSA ) as introduced by Dr. Deming who emphasized the PDSA (Plan Do Study Act) Cycle, not the PDCA Cycle, with a third-step emphasis on Study (S), not Check (C). Dr. Deming found that the focus on Check is more on the implementation of a change, with success or failure. His focus was on predicting the results of an improvement effort, and studying the actual results. The application of continuous improvement to APQP is therefore essential for the continued success. Customer satisfaction bar moves with time, therefore APQP improvement should be an element in APQP governance. APQP performance results in valuable data that should be studied carefully for APQP governance improvement.

Continuously collect and analyze lessons learned from APQP projects to drive improvements in future implementations. Remember that APQP is an ongoing process, and success can evolve over time. Regularly review these metrics and adjust your APQP processes as needed to continually improve product quality and project outcomes.

Success in your APQP implementation comes down to a few key metrics - on-time, on-spec and on-budget. By measuring planned vs. actual performance within each of the 6 gates of the new APQP project timeline, any variance on time, quality or spend can be adjusted right away. Too many companies wait until weeks prior to the scheduled production launch to look at their progress vs their plan. By then, it is too late. Money, over-time and repeat failures in pre-launch runs are thrown at the problem when diligence in the earlier phases would have promoted a better project pace. By reporting progress while there is still time to pivot, cross-functional teams can accomplish more with less and minimize the "Sunday Scaries".