Those Elusive Engineers
3 comments June 5th, 2007 David Bush - Iasta
Purchasing recently ran an article entitled Tech talk:A buyer’s guide to working with engineers that I believe might be of particular interest to our readers since procurement types and engineering types tend to be like oil and water in some organizations.
The fundamental problem was summed up in the first two paragraphs of the article. Purchasers have the bottom line as priority number one whereas from an engineer’s perspective, specifications are everything. Furthermore, engineers are typically evaluated by their managers on the efficacy of products they’ve developed - how well it performs, if it meets specifications, and if it is on schedule.
Anything that might impede getting the optimal product out on the engineer’s schedule causes frustration, especially if purchasers come in significantly later to the design process and make massive changes and engineers can get frustrated when they talk to purchasers, because purchasing folks don’t understand the technical tradeoffs that have been made. It may be that the purchaser can get another part for less, but there may be a sound technical reason for the part specified by the engineer and engineers often feel they can’t delve into a detailed technical explanation of their design choices because purchasers might not have the expertise to understand, especially when its not a purchaser’s job to be an engineer.
That’s why the article put forward the following three recommendations to help purchaser’s and engineers understand each others’ objectives.
- Get Involved in Product Design Meetings Early
Early, regular collaborative meetings help both sides understand each others’ objectives. Since most of the product cost is locked in during the first few weeks, early purchasing involvement is critical. - Err on the Side of More Information
Engineers look for details, so providing more information, even if some of it is unnecessary, is better. This information can also help engineers understand how purchasing works. - Built Up Trust
Actively seeking engineers’ input on technical questions can be a big boost to building relationships.
Entry Filed under: General, Supply Management Best Practices
