CUST.4:4.3 - Place common work and customer-dependent work
For each consequential activity, ask what information or commitment must be known before it can be performed correctly. This identifies the point where customer-specific work begins, often called the customer order decoupling point in production settings.
Compare at least the feasible early and late arrangements. Common preparation might include a base assembly, a tested module, a training method or a reserved service slot. Customer-dependent work might include final assembly, calibration, semantic mapping, local training or permission-dependent configuration.
| Arrangement | Potential benefit | Condition to test |
|---|---|---|
| Prepare a complete variant early | Short response after selection. | Demand and allowed variation justify inventory, reservation or maintenance of that variant. |
| Prepare a common base, finish after selection | Reuse of preparation with less premature differentiation. | Final work, inputs and qualified performers remain available within the promise. |
| Start most work after the order | Less speculative preparation and greater local adaptation. | Lead time, workload and cost remain acceptable. |
| Obtain a partner contribution at the needed point | Access to a capability or location not held internally. | The contribution, coordination and failure response are actually obtainable. |
Do not assume later is always better. Late calibration can become the bottleneck. Early software preparation can avoid customer delay but require maintaining many variants. Physical stock and software configuration have different cost and failure models; carry only the relevant dependence idea between them.