When designing a new product, there can be a big difference between asking different departments to cooperate and actually getting them to do it.
These days, most manufacturers realize the importance of collaboration in the process of designing new products and the methods for assembling them. When all corporate functions work together to design, assemble, package, distribute, sell and service a new product—a concept called concurrent or simultaneous engineering—manufacturers can reduce total product cost, decrease time to market, and improve quality.
However, planning to work as a team and actually doing so are sometimes two different things. The right moves from management, or a little technological help, can mean the difference between success and failure.