What is Specification Management?
Specification management is the structured process of creating, managing, and maintaining detailed product specifications throughout the product lifecycle. These specifications include everything from materials and components to design requirements, performance criteria, and regulatory compliance.
The role of specification management in digital engineering
Specification management serves as the foundation for ensuring that all stakeholders are aligned with the product’s requirements. It provides a clear blueprint for engineers, designers, manufacturers, and suppliers to follow. In industries like manufacturing, food, pharmaceuticals, and fashion, specification management ensures that products meet both internal standards and external regulations.
The process involves centralizing all relevant data into a single source of truth, enabling teams across departments, such as R&D, engineering, quality control, and supply chain management, to access up-to-date information in real-time.
It also helps supply chains by providing transparency into material sourcing and inventory planning. This enables companies to reduce waste, improve sustainability efforts, and accelerate time-to-market for new products. By streamlining workflows and automating approval processes, companies can focus on innovation rather than being bogged down by manual data entry or outdated systems.
What are the benefits of specification management?
Reduce errors and rework
Automate specification processes to minimize the risk of errors associated with manual data entry or outdated systems like spreadsheets. This leads to fewer disruptions in production workflows and less time spent correcting mistakes.
Save costs
Avoid costly errors such as ordering incorrect components or dealing with production delays due to defective parts. Additionally, reduce the need for rework or recalls by ensuring that products meet quality standards from the start.
Visibility across product lines
Centralize specification management to provide visibility into all product data throughout its lifecycle. This allows companies to maintain consistency across product lines and optimize supply chains by making informed decisions about material sourcing and production planning.
Shorten time-to-market
Streamline workflows through automation and real-time collaboration reduces bottlenecks in product development. Teams can avoid delays caused by outdated or incorrect information, leading to faster product launches and giving companies a competitive edge.
Ensure regulatory compliance
Track regulatory changes and ensure that all products meet necessary standards before going to market. This is particularly important in industries like pharmaceuticals, food, and manufacturing, where non-compliance can lead to legal ramifications.
What's the best way to get started with specification management in your organization?
Keep reading to discover our recommended approach to specification management, or reach out to us for a free consultation today.
Begin by thoroughly reviewing your existing simulation processes to identify inefficiencies, bottlenecks, and areas where data management can be improved. This assessment will help determine the specific requirements for your SPDM solution, such as version control, collaboration needs, and integration with other tools.
Choose a platform that meets your organization’s specific needs, offering features like real-time collaboration, automation of routine tasks, and integration with MBSE (model-based systems engineering) tools and other systems like PLM or CAD software.
Identify the specific challenges your organization faces in managing product specifications (e.g., regulatory compliance, collaboration issues, data management). Map out key processes that need improvement, such as formulation management, material tracking, or quality control. Engage stakeholders across departments to understand their pain points and gather input on functional requirements.
Ensure the system is designed for your industry (e.g., pharmaceuticals, food & beverage, automotive) and can handle your unique specifications (e.g., formulations, raw materials). Choose a solution that can grow with your business as product lines expand or regulations evolve. The system should integrate seamlessly with other enterprise solutions such as PLM (product lifecycle management), ERP (enterprise resource planning), or MES (manufacturing execution systems).
Set clear objectives for what you want to achieve with the new system. These could include reducing errors in product specifications, improving collaboration between departments, ensuring regulatory compliance, or accelerating time-to-market.
Form a cross-functional team that includes representatives from R&D, manufacturing, quality control, procurement, and IT. This team will oversee the implementation process, ensuring that each department’s needs are met, and act as champions for the new system within their respective teams.
Set up approval processes for specification changes, define roles and responsibilities for updating specifications, and establish version control protocols to track changes over time. Where possible, automate workflows to reduce manual intervention and minimize errors.
Develop a comprehensive training program that covers system navigation and functionality, input and updating of specifications, approval workflows, and version control. Tailor training sessions for different departments based on their specific use cases.
Integrate your specification management tool with other enterprise systems like PLM or ERP. This integration will provide end-to-end visibility across the product lifecycle and streamline processes such as material sourcing and inventory management, product development timelines, and compliance reporting.
Conduct thorough testing of the system to ensure it meets all functional requirements. Run pilot projects with real data to identify any issues or gaps in functionality. Test approval workflows and make sure they function correctly. Validate integrations with other systems to ensure the integrity of your digital thread.
Continuously monitor performance against your objectives and track key indicators such as reduction in errors or rework, time savings in specification updates, and improvement in collaboration between departments. Regularly gather feedback from users to identify areas for further improvement.
Need help with Specification management?
Matthias Hogberg and team are on-hand to provide tailored guidance and support with a deep knowledge of the full Dassault Systèmes portfolio. Reach out for a free consultation today.
Essential software for specification management
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For end-to-end PLM (product lifecycle management) and collaborative innovation.
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