Strategic Brief: Pilot Projects as a Practical Test in EMS Selection – EMS Strategy Group
What a real project can reveal about an EMS provider's practical capabilities
While audits and certifications provide essential insights into an EMS partner's foundational qualifications, they offer limited visibility into how cooperation functions during new tasks. A targeted pilot project creates an additional perspective, enabling OEMs to observe capabilities and collaboration under real operational conditions.
Author: Dirk Kaussen | Publisher: EMS Strategy Group | Date: October 6, 2026 | Strategic Brief
Key Strategic Insights
- 1. Limitations of Established Orders: Long-running, stable production orders prove a manufacturer can handle a known task, but provide little insight into how they analyze new requirements, identify risks, or deal with unexpected issues.
- 2. What New Projects Reveal: Introducing a new assembly requires reviewing documentation, setting up manufacturing and test parameters, and addressing potential design or footprint risks before production starts.
- 3. Managing Scope and Expectations: A pilot project's success depends on product complexity and data quality; it should serve as a structured observation rather than an unguided test.
- 4. Complementing Conventional Qualification: Pilot projects do not replace audits or capability assessments; instead, they complement them by testing real-world cooperation and problem-solving dynamics.
How EMS Strategy Group Supports Your Team
- Strategic design and selection of pilot projects aligned with your quality and volume goals
- Definition of clear evaluation criteria covering process stability, delivery reliability, and communication transparency
- Objective guidance and evaluation of the practical test as a supplement to pre-qualification
- Structured support from risk assessment through to successful series production ramp-up
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