There’s an interesting article (link courtesy of CNN) the other week about the rash of consumer electronics that are being shipped to end customers with minor (and at times major) deficiencies in functionality.  An important quote from the article reads “Often, companies launching complex hardware-and-software packages are forced to make compromises in order to meet deadlines,’ said Harry Wang, a mobile analyst for market research firm Parks Associates.”

It’s crucial for test data engineers to keep this development in context: if businesses find a quantifiable value in rushing production schedules before a product is fully polished, then it’s important to maintain a steady grasp on your component quality trends before they ship for final assembly.  If you aren’t paying attention to your SPC and quality data as the components are being manufactured, there won’t be any second chances or cushion time before the product is in the hands of the consumer-and, unfortunately, test data engineers will inevitably have to shoulder much of the difficult and time-consuming recall and warranty return processes triggered by such an inflexible timetable.