A cross-functional NPI team makes the transition from pilot production to series production smooth and efficient
When new, complex products hit the production line, things often go wrong. You probably know the situation. But it does not have to be that way. A cross-functional NPI team (New Product Introduction team) can make all the difference.
If you work with the development or manufacturing of complex products – for example components for wind turbines, industrial machinery or other high-precision items – you know that it is not enough for the design to look good on a screen. It must also be manufacturable and work in reality – the first time.
The handover from development to production is therefore one of the most critical phases of the project. It is where plans meet reality – and where you must ensure that the entire organisation is ready: technically, process-wise and people-wise.
This article shows how to turn a pilot production into a controlled test track – where you quickly detect errors, clarify uncertainties, feed corrections directly into the documentation and create learning, ensuring that both the product and the organisation are ready for series production.
Use pilot production as a test track - and generate feedback for the design
A pilot production run is not just a prototype. It is a critical test – of both your product and your organisation. This is where you truly see whether your design works in practice. Do the parts fit? Are the instructions clear? Does the process work? For this reason, it is essential that the people who designed the product are also present when it is built for the first time. Not a random representative – but the actual designers and specialists.
This ensures two things:
- Quick clarifications when doubts or errors arise on the production line
- Direct feedback to the design, ensuring that corrections are not just fixed ad hoc but documented and implemented in drawings, bills of materials and work instructions
With a cross-functional NPI team, you create a loop where learning from production is sent straight back to development – without being lost along the way. This turns your pilot production into a valuable test track, not only for the product but also for the processes surrounding it.
Combine agile progress with classic governance
A strong NPI team combines two approaches:
- Agile day-to-day execution
With regular meetings, short feedback loops and rapid responses to input from the production line, you can react quickly and maintain momentum. It is often effective to have one daily meeting to capture issues and one to handle technical solutions and clarifications. - Classic governance during handover
When changes must be locked, and documentation prepared, you need structure. You must maintain control over scope, approvals and planning. Without it, you risk ambiguity and delays.
By balancing pace with structure, you achieve progress without losing overview – essential when projects are complex and involve multiple stakeholders.
Create ownership and avoid lost knowledge
A classic pitfall: errors and improvement suggestions get lost along the way. This happens especially when no one owns the process, and everyone waits for someone else.
The solution is clear roles and responsibilities:
- A production team close to the line that manages day-to-day execution and ensures that data is collected (executing team)
- A development team working across functions, responsible for documentation, changes and progress (coordinating team)
This ensures that both small and large issues are captured – and that solutions are anchored properly in the organisation.
What are the benefits?
A cross-functional NPI team is an investment. But one that pays off – quickly.
You gain:
- Fewer errors and bottlenecks
- Faster clarifications and improved progress
- Closer cross-functional collaboration
- Learning that is documented and reused
- A more robust handover to production
- Higher quality and lower risk across your entire NPI process
In short: you invest resources early to avoid significantly higher costs later.
When you move your designers away from their desks and out to the production line, you ensure faster support, fewer errors and better learning. It requires some resources up front – but it can save you considerable time, money and frustration later.
Want to know more?
Ready to take the next step?
At kaastrup|andersen, we have extensive experience in designing and running just this type of process. We know what it takes to get development and production to work together, and we are happy to help you design an effective transition from trial production to series production.
