A change in process and culture: Implementing quality, reliability and safety in early development

The Army and the Armament Research, Development and Engineering Center (ARDEC) continues to strive to meet cost reduction targets associated with sequestration and the economic turn down, in general. Likewise, the costs and deficiencies associated with quality and reliability underperformance continue to be an area ripe for improvement. In response, specific and detailed process improvements have been undertaken and continue to be instituted specifically to realize the cost and risk reduction benefits of best practice application in the areas of quality, reliability and safety disciplines.