Creativity is needed to identify alternative methods of providing the desired product functions. This can be different hardware or software concepts, different materials, different processes, etc. VA brainstorming is an excellent tool to refine creative solutions and to develop consensus on the best alternative approaches. Concurrent engineering teams work especially well. The printed circuit board industry is a prime example.
High productivity depends on the high quality of materials.
A Six Sigma quality level means that disruptive quality problems are rare. Customer-supplier VA workshops focused on improving process quality as well as providing greater functionality lead to quick and dramatic cost savings for both customer and supplier. Service Service businesses are usually process dependent. Process improvement focuses more on the people performing processes and on customer satisfaction. Statistical methods are useful in analyzing service data to detect variations in performance and their sources.