Product teams are often faced with multiple obsolete electronic circuit boards within their systems, parts that are currently obsolete and ones that are likely to become obsolete in the near future. Quickly prioritizing the current and upcoming challenges these boards present, and then identifying and analyzing the right resolution options for each one is difficult. 

Product teams dealing with multiple obsolete boards find themselves overloaded and unable to make decisions due to a lack of data or analyses. They enter a familiar cycle: contact the OEM, or try to find other sources if the OEM cannot offer a solution, or find a board that will suffice but isn’t the original design, or determine if there is funding to refresh or redesign the system.  And by the time the team gets to the question of whether or not they have the money for whatever solutions they’ve developed, they often decide to try talking to the OEM again. 

And the cycle begins again, with no resolution in sight. And that’s just for one part. 

The Triage Approach, created and refined by GDCA, provides a high-level analysis, through the lens of the inevitability of part obsolescence. This approach gives a more cohesive and proactive plan to tackle both current and eventual obsolescence challenges all at once. The main feature is enabling product teams to batch DMSMS issues together, according to their attributes and criticality, which informs efficient, comprehensive, and timely resolution plans. It’s seen success in addressing large groups of obsolete boards simultaneously, including the risk of future obsolescence – allowing product teams to finally get ahead of obsolescence issues. 

This approach offers a framework for a complete perspective of the magnitude of the difficulties they are facing while involving all stakeholders in direction setting, data collection, and options analyses. The end goal is to prepare product teams for dealing with multiple obsolete boards at once – a common occurrence in the industry. 

If you’d like to chat with us, come visit us at the IIOM Conference & Exhibition 2023, which will discuss topics on the Strategic Side of Obsolescence Management from Oct. 24-26.