ABSTRACT

To sustain a fielded product mean to keep a watchful eye on a number of different concerns. On the one hand, the sustaining team ensures that incoming components meet the required specifications and that there are no slip-ups in the manufacturing of the product. On the other, the same team looks at the behavior of the product in the field and the number of failed units that are returned for service and service effectiveness. All in all, the sustaining team—a cross-functional team with a similar make-up as a development team—tries to keep its finger on the pulse of the customer-base and to ensure that customers are satisfied with the product.