What is difference between APQP and Project Management?

P

Pinkpetall

Hi all,

I get a debate with our colleague, what is the focus between APQP and Project Management? Is it different?

Following is right?

The APQP will focus on how the quality is development and assured in every step. And the project management will be foucused on how a project is lunched, running, monitor and control and end...

Welcome to comment, and get to relax our confusion. Thanks.
 

Marc

Fully vaccinated are you?
Leader
To me APQP is a series of 'steps' or processes, if you will, that are followed in a project.

Project management is how the process is overseen / monitored.

Essentially I agree with your statement, however.
 

Howard Atkins

Forum Administrator
Leader
Admin
Pinkpetall said:
Hi all,

I get a debate with our colleague, what is the focus between APQP and Project Management? Is it different?

Following is right?

The APQP will focus on how the quality is development and assured in every step. And the project management will be foucused on how a project is lunched, running, monitor and control and end...

Welcome to comment, and get to relax our confusion. Thanks.

I usually say that the APQP process is the road map to follow during the project and includes the essential steps that MUST be followed..
The management is that as you said the question is who is responsible
Process Ownership - APQP shall be be led by Design & Development Dept?
 
H

haifeng

Pinkpetall said:
Hi all,

I get a debate with our colleague, what is the focus between APQP and Project Management? Is it different?

Following is right?

The APQP will focus on how the quality is development and assured in every step. And the project management will be foucused on how a project is lunched, running, monitor and control and end...

Welcome to comment, and get to relax our confusion. Thanks.


In my opinion, APQP is just a kind of project management type. In the auto industry, from the whole auto manufacturer such as BIG 3 to different level suppliers, all of them oftenly start the projects again and again, along the life cycle of every kind of auto. APQP is the management measure for these projects. Every APQP project from the whole auto manufacture to the bottom level suppliers should along the APQP schedule to arrange their design and development. So I think the APQP is just a kind of project management type in the field of auto industry. They can not be compared as a pair of equal meaning term.

Welcome comments about my opinion.

haifeng
 
M

mustafa siddiqui

Re: Fw: What is difference between APQP and project management?

Difference between APQP and Project Management is the same as Lean and Six Sigma.

APQP are set of activities and Project management is a methodology. Project Management methodology and tools are used to execute, monitor and control APQP activities to achieve customer requirement.

APQP are set of activities in any program to be executed, and based on the experience of the cross functional team the timelines(data) is/ are entered in the project management tool to achieve the goal.

APQP is like a bag of morning news papers to be delivered to the customer, and Project Management is like the news paper vendor which knows when and where to deliver the certain newspaper.

APQP by itself is as helpless as the bag of newspaper without vendor, they cant reach their destinations.

I hope, its clear...:cfingers:
 
A

amit_rd

To add to what all is said above:

APQP in a project is oriented towards product development; whereas project management is more exhaustive towards monitoring and control of infrastructure/application/systems/resources etc. and COSTS.

APQP is generally over with PPAP but a project management does not end with start of production, it carries on to a specified period of time to assess the effectiveness and then only is handed over.

APQP is a tool used by project managers to monitor developments during the development phase. While APQP may work sufficiently for a supplier organization, AN OEM needs more exhaustive project management process.
 
M

mustafa siddiqui

Amit what you understood is almost correct. From my experience, Project Management closes with the final stages of APQP. In our APQP elements, we had seven gateways which included customer satisfaction. Once the customer accepts the product, the project closes with Project closure steps as specified in Project Closure stage and documenting lessons learned during the entire project.
Then you said in the last line, APQP is for suppliers and Project management is for customer/OEM. In the last line you negated all that was said before.
Please, if you see a project management plan/ Gantt chart you will better understand that APQP elements are activities embedded in the project management plan.
Remember Ford, GM and Chrysler had created the APQP process and PPAP process. All the OEMs still utilize APQP in their product development activities and expect PPAP from the suppliers.
PPAP submission is sufficient for Supplier, hence tracking it with an excel sheet is sufficient. For APQP process spanning a year or so with lot of activities to be completed, its necessary to utilize Project Management with APQP to be more efficient and effective.
What do you think is there in the project management plan? (Just take a moment to ponder on it)
Project management plan has activities that need to be completed, when it needs to be completed, who needs to complete what activity etc.
Please provide feedback, if you understood.
 
A

amit_rd

Dear Mustafa,

Thanks for approving that my understanding is almost correct :)

I mentioned " While APQP may work sufficiently for a supplier organization, AN OEM needs more exhaustive project management process" and I stick to it. APQP is designed so that a control is established at supplier end for ensuring they work within the timeline of OEM and hence support the actual project. Its simpler and ends with PPAP.

But the project is not over for an OEM where the start of production is just one milestone (an important one offcourse) and the project is over only if the business plan objectives are met.
 
M

mustafa siddiqui

Yes totally with you on it Amit. Stick to it, don't change your position.
:agree:
 

Chennaiite

Never-say-die
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Dear Mustafa,

I mentioned " While APQP may work sufficiently for a supplier organization, AN OEM needs more exhaustive project management process" and I stick to it. APQP is designed so that a control is established at supplier end for ensuring they work within the timeline of OEM and hence support the actual project. Its simpler and ends with PPAP.

But the project is not over for an OEM where the start of production is just one milestone (an important one offcourse) and the project is over only if the business plan objectives are met.

APQP ends with PPAP? I don't think so.
Neither does AIAG APQP Manual, it seems, which describes in Page 29 of second edition that "Quality Planning does not end with Process validation and installation" under Phase 5 "Feedback, assessment and Corrective action" which runs even beyond SOP.

In fact, I would say the production ramp-up period that starts generally after SOP is the most crucial phase in Automotive industry for OEM and hence for Suppliers too, as this remains the period when the Product makes statement in the Market. Although, some products make a comeback after bad start, there is a risk of Product getting badly injured in this period and goes on to die sooner and before meeting the Business objectives. While activities are populated in the development and ramp-up phase, APQP IMO is applicable till the end of product life albeit with limited scope.
 
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