If you’ve ever found yourself juggling competing priorities in a product launch, you’ll know that the real challenge isn’t just about hitting deadlines or meeting quotas. It’s about striking the delicate balance between quality and throughput—which, as we all know, can make or break the success of a project.

The question isn’t just theoretical: What comes first, quality or throughput? It’s one that plagues businesses at every stage of production and one I’ve spent my career grappling with. Today, I’m sharing my insights in the hope that it might help others avoid the painful mistakes I’ve made along the way.

The Dilemma

Imagine you’re well into a launch. The product is in production, but instead of hitting reasonable defect rates—like defects per 100 or 1,000 units—you’re staring at double-digit defects per product. Not in the prototype phase, but well past it—after months of production. Now, you’re faced with a critical decision: Do you prioritize improving quality, even if it means slowing production, or do you push for throughput at the risk of sacrificing quality?

The options are clear, but none of them are easy:

• Push for Quality: Demand more time, revise standards, and invest in fixing the process before proceeding. This often means asking for delays or accepting significant rework costs.
• Push for Throughput: Prioritize meeting volume targets by adding more resources—extra inspectors, more shifts, or even additional machinery. However, this risks a long-term compromise on quality, potentially damaging customer relationships.

If you’ve ever been caught in this dilemma, you know that the stakes are high, and the decision is anything but simple. Here’s how to think through it.

The Launch Phases

I’ve learned the hard way that the pre-SOP (Start of Production) phase is the key to any successful launch. A structured approach—divided into Stretch, Jog, and Run—helps manage the transition through these challenging decisions, keeping quality and throughput aligned throughout the process.

Stretch

This is the most important stage in any launch, and it’s where you should be investing the bulk of your resources. Stretch begins before you ever start production and is all about testing, training, and identifying potential problems. If this phase isn’t done right, everything after it will be exponentially harder.

• Training Is Key: You must train your team extensively on the company’s goals, the meaning of a successful launch, and what’s at stake for them personally. This isn’t just about technical skills—it’s about fostering an understanding of the broader objectives.
• Focus on Root Cause Correction: In this phase, your job is to identify and fix major defects before they scale. While many companies try to “contain” issues during this phase, I’ve learned that containment is a mistake. If you don’t fix the root causes now, you’re likely to face more severe problems down the road.
• Simulate Production: Rather than just “testing” parts, you need to simulate real production runs, identify issues, and resolve them before moving on to mass production. It’s a time-intensive process, but this early investment can save far more in the long run.

Failure to address root causes in this phase is a classic mistake. A dollar saved by cutting corners here often leads to 10 dollars spent later on containment, rework, or customer dissatisfaction.

Jog

When you hit SOP, the clock starts ticking, and quality and throughput both become critical. At this stage, you will inevitably face persistent issues that couldn’t be fully resolved in the Stretch phase. You’ll also experience high levels of scrap, especially if you’ve maintained tight quality standards.

• Budget for Scrap: At SOP, you need to budget not only for the added resources required to inspect and catch defects but also for the scrap losses that come with a maturing process. Your process capability should be at least six months ahead of production to ensure you can continue to deliver quality parts, even if some are defective in the early stages.
• Root Cause Analysis: It’s not just about identifying defects—this is where the data collection and correction processes from Stretch must be revisited and tightened up. As your team works through these persistent problems, you should see a reduction in the need for resources as issues are addressed.
• Volume vs. Quality: The challenge here is to keep both the launch volume curve and the quality curve in sync. Resources will be strained, but with proper planning, you can stay on target without sacrificing quality. Be prepared for continuous adjustments, as these issues will persist until you resolve the root causes.

Run

Once you reach Run, things should be cruising—except they never are. Just when you think you’re in the clear, unexpected challenges can arise: a sudden surge in customer demand, a supply chain disruption, or an unforeseen quality issue.

• Stormtrooper Teams: At this stage, you need experienced teams prepared to handle urgent issues. These individuals should have deep knowledge of the product and the process and be ready to jump into action to solve problems quickly.
• Customer Transparency: Open communication with your customers is critical. If you face issues, the sooner they are aware, the better. Customers who are transparent and proactive are far more likely to work with you to find solutions.
• Long-Term Success: Once the immediate issues are addressed, the process should stabilize, allowing you to focus on ramping up production and consistently hitting quality targets.

The Final Takeaway

After years of navigating these decisions, my position is clear: Quality must come first. Without a solid foundation in quality, your throughput will eventually crumble, and you’ll face far greater challenges down the road. By investing early in the Stretch phase and staying disciplined in the Jog and Run phases, you can build a scalable, sustainable launch process that delivers both quality and volume without compromise.

And remember, as difficult as these choices are, getting it wrong can cost more than you ever anticipated—both in terms of resources and customer trust. It’s a tough balancing act, but the key is never to sacrifice quality for the sake of volume. When you get this right, you’ll see not just a successful launch but a solid foundation for long-term growth. If I’ve saved you from making the same mistakes I’ve made, well, you can thank me when your hair is still intact at 55.