While inventory creates a safety net for companies, maintenance and potential waste of resources can have significant implications for companies and the environment. Manufacturers must evaluate and analyse each market and determine whether a JIT or JIC strategy is the best to follow. (2.7)

Lean production considers product and process design as an ongoing activity and not a one-off task, and should be viewed as a long-term strategy. (3.5)

When considering design for manufacture (DfM), designers should be able to integrate computers from the earliest stage of design. This requires knowledge and experience of the manufacturing processes available to ensure integration is efficient and effective. Through the integration of computers, the rate of production can be increased and errors in manufacturing can be reduced or eliminated, although the main advantage is the ability to create automated manufacturing processes. (1.16)

Designers should ensure that the quality of products is consistent through development of detailed manufacturing requirements. They also need to focus on the means to achieve it. The importance of quality management through quality control (QC), statistical process control (SPC) and quality assurance (QA) reduces the potential waste of resources. (1.5)

Designers need to consider how the costs of materials, manufacturing processes, scale of production and labour contribute to the retail cost of a product. Strategies for minimizing these costs at the design stage are most effective to ensure that a product is affordable and can gain a financial return. (1.15)