“Management is doing things right; leadership is doing the right things.” – Peter F. Drucker
Introduction
We often spend weeks planning a vacation. We carefully choose restaurants for special dinners. And we eagerly wait for weekends to binge-watch our favourite shows.
But how often do we pause to plan things that truly shape our lives—like our relationships with family, children, and partners? Or our financial future, retirement, and long-term goals?
When we take time to plan the important things, we’re not just organising our days, we’re investing in lasting happiness, peace, and prosperity.
Content: APQP Overview
- What is APQP
- Why 3rd Edition?
- 5 Phases of APQP
- Key Changes
- Why does APQP need to be implemented?
- Where can APQP be implemented?
- Tangible benefits
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Objective
When it comes to making high-quality products, having a clear process is the key. That’s exactly what APQP (Advanced Product Quality Planning) is all about. It helps organisations plan, develop, and deliver products that meet customer requirements with fewer risks and surprises.
Once you go through the article, you will understand the meaning of APQP, its 5 phases, key changes and possible benefits.
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Definition: IATF 16949 Clause 3.1
APQP: product quality planning process that supports development of a product or service that will satisfy customer requirements; APQP serves as a guide in the development process and also a standard way to share results between organizations and their customers; APQP covers design robustness, design testing and specification compliance, production process design, quality inspection standards, process capability, production capacity, product packaging, product testing and operator training plan, among other items.
Control plan: a documented description of the systems and processes required for controlling the manufacturing of the product.
Design for assembly (DFA): a process by which products are designed with ease of assembly considerations. (e.g., if a product contains fewer parts, it will take less time to assemble. thereby reducing assembly costs).
Design for manufacturing (DFM): integration of product design and process planning to design a product that is easily and economically manufactured.
Design for manufacturing and assembly (DFMA): combination of two methodologies: Design for Manufacture (DFM), which is the process of optimizing the design to be easier to produce, have higher throughput, and improved quality; and Design for Assembly (DFA), which is the optimization of the design to reduce risk of error, lowering costs, and making it easier to assemble.
Design for Six Sigma (DFSS): systematic methodology, tools, and techniques with the aim of being a robust design of products or processes that meets customer expectations and can be produced at a six-sigma quality level.
Design-responsible organisation: organisation with authority to establish a new, or change an existing, product specification
Embedded Software: Embedded Software is a specialised programme stored in an automotive component (typically a computer chip or other non-volatile memory storage) specified by the customer, or as part of the system design, to control its function(s). To be relevant in the scope of IATF 16949 certification, the part that is controlled by embedded software must be developed for an automotive application (i.e., passenger cars, light commercial vehicles, heavy trucks, buses, and motorcycles; see Rules for achieving and maintaining IATF Recognition, 5th Edition, Section 1.0 Eligibility for Certification to IATF 16949, for what is eligible for “Automotive”).
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Detailed Information
In March 2024, AIAG (Automotive Industry Action Group) released the 3rd Edition of APQP. This new version brings updates that make the process more practical, more aligned with today’s business challenges, and easier to integrate with other quality tools.
This new edition reflects the latest industry trends like electric vehicles (EVs), autonomous driving, and digital manufacturing.
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What is APQP?
APQP is a structured way of planning and controlling product development. It ensures that customer needs are integrated into the design, development, and manufacturing process from the outset.
It is widely used in the automotive industry but is equally useful in other manufacturing sectors. Think of APQP as a roadmap that connects customer requirements, product design, process design, and final delivery.
APQP ensures the Voice of the Customer (VOC) is clearly understood and translated into specific requirements, technical specifications, and unique features.
APQP focuses on proactive measures to embed product and process benefits through prevention.
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Why 3rd Edition?
The previous (2nd) edition of APQP came out in 2008. Since then, industries have undergone significant changes – including digitalisation, globalisation, more complex supply chains, sustainability requirements, electric vehicles, smart features, and quality planning that must be more robust and flexible to meet evolving customer expectations.
The 3rd Edition is designed to:
- Simplify the APQP process.
- Reduce risks early
- Work better with suppliers
- Ensure consistent quality from design to delivery
- Use digital tools for smarter planning
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5 Phases of APQP
The basic five phases of APQP remain the same:
- Plan and Define
- Product Design and Development
- Process Design and Development
- Product and Process Validation
- Feedback, Assessment and Corrective Action
The 3rd edition explains each phase in simpler, real-world terms. It helps teams focus on “what to do” and “why it matters” rather than just filling out forms.
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Key Changes in the 3rd Edition
- Focus on Risk Management: Risk is now a central theme. Companies are encouraged to identify and reduce risks early using tools like FMEA (Failure Mode and Effects Analysis) and Control Plans. This helps avoid costly issues later in production.
- Control Plan as a Separate Tool: The Control Plan is no longer part of the APQP manual—it’s now a standalone document. This change highlights its importance in maintaining quality during production and audits.
- Gate Reviews for Each Phase: Each APQP phase now includes a gate review (6 Gates identified), a checkpoint to ensure all tasks are completed before moving forward. This improves project control and accountability.
- Stronger Focus on Communication: The new edition highlights the importance of cross-functional teamwork and communication with suppliers. Since supply chains are more global and complex today, early and transparent communication reduces delays, costs, and customer complaints
- High Risk Supplier Evaluation Checklist: A new checklist with 78 itemshelps companies evaluate suppliers more thoroughly. This is especially useful for complex parts used in EVs and autonomous systems.
- Safe Launch Requirement: In Control Plan 1st Edition is an interim quality firewall that protects the customer while the new process/product stabilises.
- Traceability: Although not a new requirement, in APQP 3rd Edition, it is now a clearly defined requirement, directly connected to risk management, supplier evaluation, and control planning
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Why does APQP need to be implemented?
- Prioritising Resources
- Early Detection
- Better Risk Management
- Enhance customer Value
- Avoid Unintentional Changes
- Preventing Last Minute Changes
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Where can APQP be implemented?
- New Product Development
- Management of Product and Process Changes
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Key Benefits:
- Strengthening Collaboration
- Minimise Cost and Efforts
- Take Critical decisions about QCD (Quality, Cost and Delivery)
- Understand Voice of the customer (Implicit and Explicit)
- Effectively capturing Legacy Knowledge
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Conclusion:
The APQP 3rd Edition is not just an update; it’s a smarter, simpler, and more flexible way of ensuring product quality. It strengthens risk management, improves communication, and integrates seamlessly with other quality tools.
For organisations, it’s a chance to modernise their quality systems, build stronger supplier relationships, and deliver better products faster. In short, the 3rd Edition makes APQP more practical for today’s challenges and more relevant for the future.
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References:
APQP 3d Edition
IATF 16949
Industry Experts
This is the 236th article of this Quality Management series. Every weekend, you will find useful information that will make your Management System journey Productive. Please share it with your colleagues too.
In the words of Albert Einstein, “The important thing is never to stop questioning.” I invite you to ask anything about the above subject. Questions and answers are the lifeblood of learning, and we are all learning. I will answer all questions to the best of my ability and promise to keep personal information confidential.
Your genuine feedback and response are extremely valuable. Please suggest topics for the coming weeks.
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