Software makers can learn a lot from companies like Adidas. In this episode of the Fortune's Path podcast, Tom talks with quality and compliance expert Norbert Teston, formerly Director of Compliance Excellence at Adidas, the international athletic wear behemoth. He's now President of NT Creative and Consulting, where he helps COOs and Heads of Operations eliminate the fear and risk of product recalls. Learn: - How this French native started his career in Vietnam - What triggered his start in the footwear business - What it's like to be in a factory with 20,000 people - The nuances of creating a company culture of quality excellence But most important, how the quality processes in manufacturing might be applied to software development.
Norbert talks about how Adidas starts its shoe manufacturing process, beginning with a business unit who outlines the market need in a comprehensive brief. Then, a designer group begins experimenting with colors, materials and textures. "There's 250-350 operations that need to happen to put one pair of footwear together, so it's a long process... taking up to 16 months," says Norbert.
Every new material and material supplier is tested, based on internal standards. Once it moves to being manufactured on the production line, further testing and checking take place.
Some analogies and differences - software vs. manufacturing: