The benefits and challenges of international FMEA projects

For companies that operate globally, with risk and QM teams collaborating across multiple plants and continents, FMEA and risk management services can be of great value. By working with a global consulting firm like Dietz Consultants, these companies can establish a consistent and effective approach to FMEA and risk management processes.

The advantages of using such a global service provider are obvious. By providing a single point of contact for consulting services and training, companies can ensure that they receive the same quality and expertise wherever they are in the world. In addition, travel can be avoided, saving time and money.

A further advantage is that the company can respond to local conditions and thus precisely fitting qualification of the locations; this applies in particular to the FMEA experts and FMEA moderators as well as the FMEA power users. This is important to understand and allow for cultural and content differences.

Through global collaboration, best-practice consultants can be remotely connected to support projects worldwide.

It is therefore common practice in our projects for our most experienced experts to join us remotely for some time in particularly complex cases – even if they are currently located on another continent.

What’s more, collaboration between international teams promotes exchange and common understanding regarding the FMEA application.

This is particularly about the development of agreed, known and communicated FMEA conventions and the global qualification and review of suppliers. Joint kickoffs as part of development projects and close monitoring of the projects are easily possible.

To realize this global service, a coordinated, global approach is needed, as well as coordinated, centralized tools and databases. In the process, terms must also be standardized and translated.

We have often observed with our customers that the designation of the same components differs across location and country borders. This leads to additional work and decreasing data quality.

Another challenge arises from the different cultural backgrounds of the teams involved. Here, the task of the external FMEA experts is to achieve equivalent work results by means of a coordinated moderation.

Working across different time zones requires careful organization of interlocking FMEA projects.

Overall, working with a global consulting firm offers the opportunity to create a common understanding with regard to FMEA and risk management processes worldwide and thus establish a partnership-based, long-term collaboration.