In order to optimize the product development phases, it is necessary to improve collaboration with suppliers. Collaborative design enables joint teams to develop products and exchange technical information.

The expected benefits include improved collaboration with suppliers, that goes beyond the traditional customer-supplier relationship, reduced time to market, reduced design costs by taking suppliers’ constraints into account right from the design phase, and secure purchasing.

Argon Consulting helps its customers in:

• the identification of projects suited to collaborative design,
• the definition of a project plan and the associated costs,
• drawing up a list of potential suppliers,
• support in make or buy decisions,
• coaching in working meetings with the supplier(s) and the setting of targets,
• drawing up criteria and scoring suppliers according to them (capacity to meet demand, deadlines, prices, quality, etc.),
• the selection of suppliers.