Let’s hear from an experienced product designer about project management with Chinese suppliers…
In this episode, we catch up with Andy Bartlett, a friend of Sofeast, who is an enormously experienced product designer from the UK, to discuss his project management best practices and observations from his ‘designer’s’ perspective for when developing a new product and manufacturing it in China.
If you’re developing a new product and have Chinese suppliers, you’ll love this episode. Andy shares a load of great insight into how to work with your factory (probably a contract manufacturer) or development house effectively. This includes software to use to collect information and track progress, how to build and maintain good relationships with your Chinese partners, tips on IP protection, managing CAD drawings, understanding cultural differences and keeping your cool to see the project through to a satisfactory completion, and much, much more!
Just hit the play button to start listening..!
Listen to the episode right here 👇👇👇
🎧 Good Project Management With Chinese Suppliers From A Product Designer’s Perspective 🎧
Here’s a summary of key sections of this episode:
✅ The difference between contract manufacturers & development houses
✅ Challenges when working directly with a factory
✅ Challenges when working with a development house
✅ Why factories rush to production
✅ When is your product design mature enough to go to production?
✅ Why approving tooling is the most nerve-wracking time for designers.
✅ Building relationships and good communication.
✅ How the pandemic has affected communication with Chinese suppliers.
✅ A system to check suppliers truly understand your needs and can fulfil them.
✅ Why to be very cautious when a supplier says ‘yes’ to everything.
✅ Managing CAD data.
✅ IP protection tips.
✅ How things get easier after the first order.
✅ Why maintaining discipline is the key to a successful project.
Even more content about project management and product design…
- Andy has written a number of blog posts for Sofeast, particularly about product design topics.
- Sourcing from China 101, Part 8: Project Management of Your Orders
- Project management for importers
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How are you managing new product development projects with Chinese suppliers these days, especially if you’re unable to travel to China?
Let us know your experiences by leaving a comment, please.
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