Abstract
This paper discusses the design process of testing and specifications compliance. Testing and specifications compliance is an issue that any venture introducing a new product into the market has to observe. This paper investigates how these parameters and stipulations are designed. It also contains an outline of how entities can implement these testing and specifications compliance into their projects. It also investigates demonstrations of good and bad designs of testing and specifications compliance.
What is Design for Testing & Specification Compliance?
Compliance refers to observing set procedures that have been pre-determined before a process is commenced. Therefore, testing and specification compliance refers to how entities observe set procedures on how to design their products and on how to test the same products. The process of designing procedures that entities should adhere to while creating their products or services is referred to as the design for testing and specification compliance (Herrmann, 2007).
Products require for Testing & Specification Compliance
All products that are manufactured and sold to create profit require testing and specification compliance. Examples of some of the products that require testing include; machines, buildings, materials used in construction, technical products like mobile phones and computers, software and USB cables.
Benefits of Design for Testing & Specification Compliance
The design for testing and specification compliance has a number of benefits. To begin with, the design process provides an output that can be applied by stakeholders who release products into the market at any level. Such a procedure ensures that the goods can be used by their consumers and that they meet the requirements that ensure they have a long period for application.
The design process ensures that it has come up with a standard way of measuring testing and specification compliance. This is done for a single product that is produced by different stakeholders in the market. This also sets the benchmark for producing a product, therefore, setting the benchmark for competition as the product manufacturers have to differentiate their products for market relevancy.
The design process ensures that the product specifications and testing methods are practical. This is in terms of affordability and application of the product specifications. Such consideration is done as very expensive tests and specifications for products may affect consumers in a negative manner. This may include abnormally high product prices. It may also result in fraudulent activities that release cheap and unsafe products for consumers.
Impacts of Design for Testing & Specification Compliance on manufacturers
The main impact of design for testing and specification compliance on manufacturers is felt on the project scope management level. This is because the planning of a product is complicated by issues that the product must observe and comply with. As such, expert and stakeholders’ advice should be considered at all levels of designing a product that is in compliance with the testing and product specifications stipulations.
The design for testing and specification compliance affects the strategies manufacturers use to remain relevant to their consumers. This is especially so in product differentiation, price setting. These two factors affect the competitiveness of manufacturers.
This process affects the time between designing a new product and releasing it into the market. Disregarding the set stipulations during the planning stages of a product leads to taking exceptionally long before a product is released into the market. Such poor planning may also result in heavy expenditure during the design and testing phases of a product.
Lastly, this process influences the basic inputs a manufacturer includes in their products. If the inputs are difficult to access, manufacturers have to come up with strategies for acquiring the inputs in a manner that will not result in losses.
Impacts on customers
The design for testing and specification compliance affects customers in a number of ways. To begin with, this design process determines the level of satisfaction customers will attain from the products they have purchased (Newman & Choo, 2003). This is in terms of efficiency, period of use and safety.
The design of the stipulations and procedures is among the varied factors which influence the price of products in the market. If the procedures and specifications to be met are expensive, the customers are likely to meet expensive products in the market. This may be as a result of a few monopolistic manufactures.
The designing of these parameters that the products let out into the market exposes consumers to safe products. This is in terms of health and avoiding accidents. Such may cause harm while working with the products (Huynh-Ba, 2010).
Results of poor Design for Testing & Specification Compliance
The basic result of a poor design process for the procedures in complying with products. Such a market would also lack a way of regulating new market entries using high quality and high prices for launching a new product into the market.
Example of profitability
Profitability describes the ability of a venture, project, entity or investment to yield financial gain. Profitability is measured using the ratio of price to earnings. An institution using $100 00 to launch a product where it earns $300 000 after a year is said to be profitable. The profitability ratio, in this case, is 1:3.
Example of good and poor Design for Testing & Specification Compliance
The USB – IF Compliance Program has a good and efficient design. This compliance program has all the features that allow it to ensure a stable market. This includes aspects like standardization and set procedures for documentation and testing/ retesting procedures.
An example of a poor design includes a design that uses parameters that do not influence the safety of products. Such parameters include non-influential issues like the color of a product. Designs that do not account for the quality of the materials used when developing a product are also classified as poor designs.
How to implement Design for Testing & Specification Compliance?
Such a design is implemented by using the set procedures verification of testing and specification procedures. Such procedures vary depending on the involved industry. For instance, the verification procedure for the medical industry is different from the procedure employed in software development (Stokes, 2003).
Guidelines to Integrate Design for Testing & Specification Compliance into the Design
While designing a product, it is vital to consider the compliance specifications before venturing into the actual design process. Firstly, it involves a thorough examination of the stipulations to be observed and followed. It is advisable to seek expert interpretation of the stipulations. This should be done to avoid any misinterpretation on the part of the key stakeholders. This involves filing any paperwork related to compliance. It also involves updating the employed experts on all the matters they must consider. This approach saves money and time that is normally lost when an entity proceeds with designing a product without considering compliance stipulations.
Determine Data Qualifiers for Design for Testing & Specification Compliance
The spreadsheet has the capability to acquire data that contain electronic signatures
The system is expected to possess the ability to control retrieval to authorized persons
The database should have an efficient audit assessment
Tools to enhance Design for Testing & Specification Compliance
The requirements for testing and specification compliance should have an outlined section describing how a system operates
The specifications should be signed by the quality assurance control authority
The stakeholders included in the creation of the design should also sign
The testing and specification compliance form should be signed by its users. This is to acknowledge they have read and understood the document.
Technical Examples
An example of such an application is the USB – IF Compliance program. The program can be accessed by authorized persons only. This program also employs a platform where its users can communicate with the entity.
References
Herrmann, D. S. (2007). Complete guide to security and privacy metrics: Measuring regulatory compliance, operational resilience, and ROI. Boca Raton: Auerbach Publications.
Huynh-Ba, K. (2010). Pharmaceutical stability testing to support global markets. New York: Springer.
Newman, J., & Choo, B. S. (2003). Advanced Concrete Technology: Testing & Quality. Oxford: Elsevier Science & Technology.
Stokes, D. (2003). Testing Computers Systems For Fda/mca Compliance. Hoboken: Informal Healthcare.