4 steps to manufacturing success for any custom product. The A.C.E.D. method with verified custody of information

Any successful business that manufactures a custom product has four basic steps and verifies the transfer of custom information at each step. Focus on the custody of valuable information instead of the things made.  This works for a hair dresser, an eye surgeon, a roof truss plant, and a restaurant.  Treating custody of information with the standards you would expect from police handling evidence, gives you control of the guts of custom work.

A.C.E.D. (check check check check) is the summary.


ACQUIRE information from the customer.
Verify that you got it right. Have a checklist.

CUSTOMIZE IT. This often means processing information with computers.
Verify you processed it completely. Have a checklist.

EMBED IT. A laser eye surgeon embeds information in the surface of your lens. A roof truss plant puts the design information into a shape of wood and connector plates with supporting documents.
Verify you embedded the information correctly with quality control steps.

DELIVER IT to the user with anyadditional information needed to employ or enjoy it. A laser surgeon sends out his customized customer with pamphlets, a web link, medication, follow up visits and makes sure he understands it. A truss plant makes sure the builder gets all the bracing, handling, laminating and placement information he needs and makes sure the framer understands it.  Most of the information is in the product itself.

Verify the delivery was successful and all useful information is in the right hands at the right time.

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