Re: Does ISO 9001 Clause 7.3 Design and Development apply?
In practice there is nothing wrong with your line of thought.
My only point, from an auditor's perspective, is that it would not be a lagitimate thing to write a nonconformance for. There is no "shall" to hang it on, especially when the same ground is covered in 7.3.2.
As to if there is wisdom in companies designing things for speculation without customer input is not at issue. They are free to be as stupid as they want, and many are, even with marketing input.
Jim, before you bow out, if I may: Many innovative products don't have 'customers involvement' pe se. There's no order, no RFP, no idea on the customers behalf what is going to be specified as part of the product's performance, look etc. That was partly the problem with previous versions of ISO 9001/2 etc. with the fabled 'contract review' requirements. There wasn't a 'contact', because there wasn't a customer, yet!
I'm sure you must have worked in an organization where they design new products and they also have a marketing department - or technical 'sales' etc. They provide the 'requirements related to the customer' etc. etc. as 'design inputs'. It's probably just as well that they do, for you have also probably met Product Design Engineers who 'think' they know what a customer wants! I know I have! And the Marketing people had quite a different view of the product, than the way the Designers had specified it!
I'd suggest that, particularly in your role as an auditor, you might have to re-visit your thoughts on this...
I'm sure you must have worked in an organization where they design new products and they also have a marketing department - or technical 'sales' etc. They provide the 'requirements related to the customer' etc. etc. as 'design inputs'. It's probably just as well that they do, for you have also probably met Product Design Engineers who 'think' they know what a customer wants! I know I have! And the Marketing people had quite a different view of the product, than the way the Designers had specified it!
I'd suggest that, particularly in your role as an auditor, you might have to re-visit your thoughts on this...
My only point, from an auditor's perspective, is that it would not be a lagitimate thing to write a nonconformance for. There is no "shall" to hang it on, especially when the same ground is covered in 7.3.2.
As to if there is wisdom in companies designing things for speculation without customer input is not at issue. They are free to be as stupid as they want, and many are, even with marketing input.
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