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Build4Scale Ongoing Self-Assessment for Insight & Reference to Self-Help Guide
This assessment system provides you an opportunity to rate your own knowledge, resources and needs to enhance your potential success as a hardware startup.  Use this system to benchmark your status and progress over time.  Rank your key accomplishments, be directed to support materials and organizations, and leverage these to accelerate your realization of your commercialization plan.

Step #1:  Make an effort to complete each question.
Step #2:  If you have trouble completing the question refer to Build4Scale guide module noted in brackets under the question.
Consider marking the "Don't know" option and continuing the assessment.  Return later to research all the questions you marked as  "don't know."
Step #3:  If you would like more information on any concept in a question, greater detail is provided in the Build4Scale module.
Step #4:  If the Build4Scale module does not sufficiently address your needs, use it as a conversation starter with a mentor.
Step #5:  Save your responses and review periodically as your company grows to track your progress.

1.  A manufacturing plan physically supports your company's desired product, services and overall brand positioning in the market.  Which statement best represents your confidence in the understanding of each of the following:
(If you answer anything less than "moderately confident" to any of these questions then please stop, read the introduction to the Build4Scale guide and seek assistance before proceeding.  You must have a clear idea of your market position before you can effectively move to manufacturing and commercialization.)  (See Build4Scale Introduction)
Not at all confident
Slightly confident
Moderately confident
Very confident
Extremely confident
Don't know
Customer's needs
Market size
Competition or alternative
Customer buying process/distribution
Partnerships with suppliers
Regulations, certifications
Clear selection
2. Rate your interest level in assessing yourself and identifying methods to enhance success in each of the following areas of your business:  
(These are the key areas represented in this Build4Scale program.  See Introduction for summary)
Not very interested
Somewhat interested
Fairly interested
Very interested
Extremely interested
Don't know
Speed to commercialization
Reducing product cost
Enhancing design effectiveness
Preparing for manufacturing
Understanding the effects of scaling
Critical elements in testing & validation
Effective planning for supply and distribution
Sustaining quality
Diversity of funding and support alternatives
Clear selection
3. Please check the box that represents your most critical design package need:
Please choose 1 (Module: Detailed Design Package: BOM & BOP)
4. How useful do you feel training and information on systems in each of the following would be?
(Module: Detailed Design Package: Product Lifeycle Management)
Not very useful
Slightly useful
Moderately useful
Very useful
Extremely useful
Don't know
Creation of bill of materials
Document management systems (i.e. parts numbering)
Design change tracking system
Quality standards process
Clear selection
5.  Quality is only achieved when you consider influences beyond good manufacturing practices.  Please indicate your level of need for information on methods to achieve each of the following:
(Module: Detailed Design Package: Acceptable Quality Level)
Not very necessary
Somewhat necessary
Fairly necessary
Very necessary
Extremely necessary
Don't Know
Translate customer need into a technical specification
Manage supplier quality
Identify early process failure
Include suppliers in your quality process
Assure functional and technical requirements are complementary
Clear selection
6.  Which of the following best reflects your current focus in your effort to maximize design for manufacturing?
Please check one  (Module: Design for Manufacturing: Crosscutting Introduction)
7.  How do you select a material when you are not a material expert/scientist?  Please indicate if you would like more information on any of the following:
Please check one  (Module: Design for Manufacturing: Material Selection)
8.  Rate the value of gaining information on the following influences that affect your choice of a manufacturing process:
(Module: Design for Manufacturing: Manufacturing Processes)
Not very useful
Slightly useful
Moderately useful
Very useful
Extremely useful
Don't know
Cost & time to produce
Make yourself or buy
Capital & upfront cost
Product features (appearance, quality, performance)
Adaptability to design changes
Clear selection
9.  Would summaries of key manufacturing processes be helpful to you?   Mark your interest level in each of the following manufacturing summaries:
(Module: Design for Manufacturing: Manufacturing Processes)
Not very important
Somewhat important
Fairly important
Very important
Extremely important
Don't know
Summary of manufacturing processes & attributes
How design requirements affect process choice
Cost features of various processes
How manufacturing process affects design
How to select the right manufacturing process
Clear selection
10. Understanding your supplier's cost structure can help you better recognize influences on your cost.  Indicate your understanding of your manufacturer's cost variables:
(Module: Design for Manufacturing: Manufacturing Processes)
Not very clear
Somewhat clear
Fairly clear
Very clear
Extremely clear
Don't know
Variable cost
Fixed cost
Overhead drivers
Development cost (fixtures, tooling etc.)
Clear selection
11. Save time by using established software and tools.  To what level do each of the following cost tools interest you?
(Module: Design for Manufacturing: Manufacturing Processes)
Not very important
Somewhat important
Fairly important
Very important
Extremely important
Don't know
Depreciation calculation worksheet
Fixed cost calculation worksheet
Variable cost calculation worksheet
Marginal cost worksheet
Clear selection
12. As you move from prototype to various production levels, assembly costs can often become the key to your profitability, quality, timing and supplier options.  Rate your level of comfort for your assembly plans relating to the following:
(Module: Design for Manufacturing: Manufacturing & Assembly)
Not at all confident
Slightly confident
Moderately confident
Very confident
Extremely confident
Don't know
Type and cost of fixtures
Level of automation
Assembly instructions
Parts and assembly cost
Bottlenecks from increased volume
Clear selection
13. Virtually all great intellectual property-driven companies start out as a "development team" passionate about solving an "unsolvable challenge."  At some point they successfully achieve a minimally acceptable technical solution.  At this point there needs to be a shift in focus from technical development to commercial application and development of an organization.  As a commercial company, at what level have you solidified a plan that considers scaling for the following:
(Module: Design for Manufacturing: Market Feasibility)
Not at all
Slightly solid
Moderately solid
Very solid
Extremely solid
Don't know
Assembly process
Customer expectation checklist (early adopter versus future)
Supply chain
Funding requirements
Clear selection
14. Avoid over or under engineering your product. Have you balanced your reliability cost with your failure cost?  What is your interest level in methods for the following:
(Module: Design for Manufacturing: Design for Reliability)
Not at all interested
Slightly interested
Moderately interested
Very interested
Extremely interested
Don't know
A format for reliability planning
Test for reliability factors
Tools to predict likely areas of failure
Clear selection
15. There is nothing more exciting than turning an idea into a physical sample.  To assure you achieve an ideal prototype, at the lowest cost, in the most efficient time, and in a manner that minimizes the need for longer term redesign pre-planning is critical.  To what degree have you planned for the following:
(Module: Beta Prototype & Test Plan)
No planning at all
Low planning
Moderate planning
Very strong planning
Extreme planning
Don't know
Design for environment
Design for manufacturing
Design for optimized quality for use & price
Prioritization of user expectations
Consideration of effect at various life stages
Design for failure
Clear selection
16.   The production method for a prototype is often driven by the developer's goals for its use.  Check off the types of prototype you have used.  If you are unfamiliar with the difference, it is worth a look at the Build4Scale guide.
(Module: Beta Prototype & Test Plan: Manufacturing Process)
17.   Your prototype can save you time and money by identifying design & material selection flaws prior to production.  Use this list to check off ways you have leveraged your prototype.  If you are unfamiliar with these uses it is worth a look at the Build4Scale guide.
(Module: Beta Prototype & Test Plan: Simulating Use Conditions)
18.  Are you maximizing your supplier relationships?  Consider your supplier's knowledge, experience, resources, and connections.  How important are each of the following in choosing your suppliers?
(Module: Supplier Relations & Partnerships: Communication, Selection, Negotiation)
Not at all important
Slightly important
Moderately important
Very important
Extremely important
Don't know
Core manufacturing capabilities
To assist in design modifications for manufacturing (DFM)
Knowledge of effective changes during scaling
Connections to other suppliers
Financial help (not just terms and supply chain buying power)
Strategic partner in distribution
Strategic partner in development
Clear selection
19.  By understanding how your suppliers make money and their strategic goals (i.e. desire to enter new markets), you can better determine keys to building a strong relationship.  Consider your top three suppliers and do a sanity check to confirm if they make or lose money in each of these production areas:
(Module: Supplier Relations & Partnerships:Communication, Selection, Negotiation)
20.  The Build4Scale guide provides information to help you manage your supply chain.  How important are each of the following to you?
(Module: Supplier Relations & Partnerships: Communication, Selection, Negotiation)
Not at all important
Slightly important
Moderately important
Very important
Extremely important
Tips on how to select a supplier
Best practices in communication with supplier
Methods for successful supplier negotiations
Methods to find suppliers
Process for IP security when working with suppliers
Clear selection
21.  Inventory is cash!  Too much drains you and not enough costs you sales & customers.  Do you know your strategic options for inventory management?  Check off those you have considered.
(Module: Partnerships, Supply Chain, & Distribution: Distribution Plan)
22.  What is your confidence level in your forecasting method?  Have you considered all the ways to identify and leverage information to gain forecasting accuracy?  Which of the following tools are you familiar?
(Module: Partnerships, Supply Chain, & Distribution: Distribution Plan)
Not at all familiar
Slightly familiar
Moderately familiar
Very familiar
Extremely familiar
Don't know
Subjective data
Objective data
Aggregate forecast
Customer input
Charting history
Clear selection
23.  Managing the interaction of all activities from the time of a customer sales call through to shipping and even account follow-up is required to maximize margin and cash flow.  This data attainment, use and communication is completed through an Enterprise Resource Planning System (ERP).  Most often started as a manual process the eventual use of a computerized system is likely.  Rate your current ability to track and integrate the results of the following:
(Module: Partnerships, Supply Chain, & Distribution: ERP/MRP)
Not at all integrated
Slightly integrated
Moderately integrated
Very integrated
Extremely integrated
Don't know
Order entry
Accounting
Raw material management (order through use)
Equipment use
Supplier performance
Customer relationship management
Clear selection
24.  Packaging is often a significant portion of the cost of goods.  Are you maximizing your packaging investment?  Check the box to note that you have considered your packaging's ability to deliver on each of the following:
(Module: Partnerships, Supply Chain, & Distribution: Shipping, Packaging etc)
25.  Product design, material selection and packaging options may be dramatically affected by regulations, certifications and industry standards.  Check the box if you feel you clearly understand the elements in each area.  The Build4Scale guide contains an explanation of the difference and also references various resource guides.
(Module: Regulations, Certifications, & Standards)
26.  Consistently good production can be assured with process capabilities studies.  Indicate your interest in learning how to manage the following processes:
(Module: Regulation, Certification, & Quality Plan: Identify Quality Needs)
Not at all interested
Slightly interested
Moderately interested
Very interested
Extremely interested
Don't know
Holding to tolerances
Selecting optimal manufacturing processes
Establish new machine requirements
Create vendor qualification metrics
Minimize variability in production
Define process improvement system
Clear selection
27.  Sustaining quality is eventually a major focus in your production planning.  Whether internally made or bought from a supplier the ultimate quality is your responsibility.  Quality must be managed and tracked on a micro level.  The Build4Scale guide explains how.  Place a check beside those elements you currently effectively monitor and track.
(Module: Sustaining Quality & Warranty Plan: Key Quality to Measure & Assess)
28.  Scaling from beta prototype to pilot is the optimal time to maximize efficiency and identify and minimize risk.  Place a check beside those items for which you have successfully prepared.
(Module: Sustaining Quality & Warranty Plan: Pilot & Scaling for Production Ramp)
29.  Customer satisfaction will ultimately determine your company's success.  It is critical to have systems to track satisfaction and protect the customer even when something goes wrong.  Place a mark beside those elements that you have built into your customer satisfaction system.
(Module: Sustaining Quality & Warranty Plan: Field Product Quality, Service & Repair)
30.  Financing is a constant activity for a growing company.  Place a mark beside the financing areas you have thoroughly explored.  The Build4Scale guide explains each in detail along with citation of other great reference material.
(Module: Detailed Design Package: Financing Growth)
31.  The financing of a traditional hardware startup hinges on your ability to overcome some industry-specific challenges.  Please mark those industry dynamics you feel you have fully considered in your planning.  Reference the Build4Scale guide for explanation, example and resource guides.
(Module: Detailed Design Package: Financing Growth)
32. Please indicate the stage that best represents the status of your current primary physical product?
Please check all that apply (This question is to help us to understand who and how we can best assist)
not started
up to 24% complete
25% to 49% complete
50% to 74% complete
75% to 99% complete
100% complete
Concept exploration and verification
Proof of concept model (works like)
Engineering and design
Prototype (works & looks like)
Beta production
Product sold (at least 2 units)
Clear selection
33. When was your company founded?
(This question is to help us to understand who and how we can best assist)
MM
/
DD
/
YYYY
34. Which range includes the estimated number of employees under each description?
Including interns (This question is to help us to understand who and how we can best assist)
0-2
3-5
6-9
10-15
16-20
20+
2017 current full-time employees
2017 current part-time employees
2018 projection for full-time employees
2018 projection for part-time employees
Clear selection
35. Which range includes the approximate number of times you have contracted a manufacturer for services in the last year?
(This question is to help us to understand who and how we can best assist)
0
1-3
4-6
7-10
10+
Clear selection
36. Please indicate your interest for future assistance or insight.
Please check your top 3 choices (This question is to help us to understand who and how we can best assist)
37.  With what mentor or collaborative community program are you currently involved?  Would you be interested in additional mentorship?  What topic areas?
(This question is to help us to understand who and how we can best assist)
38. Do you have any suggestions for assistance that would significantly enhance your business' chance of success with manufacturing?
(This question is to help us to understand who and how we can best assist)
Submit
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