In Step 7: Results Documentation of the AIAG-VDA 7-Step FMEA approach, FMEA is not just an internal risk assessment tool — it’s also a communication and knowledge management tool.
👉 This lesson addresses two key activities:
- Customer Communication – Sharing FMEA results with customers, OEMs, or auditors.
- Lessons Learned – Capturing knowledge gained during FMEA for future use.
Together, these ensure that FMEA drives customer confidence, audit compliance, and continuous improvement.
1. Customer Communication in FMEA #
Why Customer Communication is Important
- Customers (OEMs, Tier-1 suppliers) often require FMEA evidence to ensure risks are managed.
- Builds trust and transparency with the customer.
- Supports PPAP (Production Part Approval Process) submissions and IATF 16949 compliance.
What to Share with Customers
- FMEA Summary Report (not the entire sheet unless requested).
- Key risks identified (High AP items).
- Actions implemented and their effectiveness.
- Status of open actions and planned completion.
- Linkage to Control Plan and other APQP documents.
📌 Tip: Customers are most interested in safety-critical risks (Severity ≥ 9) and how they are addressed.
Example – Customer Communication
- PFMEA: Bolting process.
- Reported to customer: Initial risk of under-torque bolt (Severity = 9, AP = High).
- Action: Introduced digital torque monitoring → AP reduced to Medium.
- Customer accepted PPAP submission with documented risk reduction.
2. Lessons Learned in FMEA #
What are Lessons Learned?
- Knowledge gained from FMEA that can be applied to future projects.
- Prevents repeating past mistakes.
- Helps build a knowledge database across the organization.
Examples of Lessons Learned
- DFMEA: High-temp insulation required for all motor windings to prevent overheating.
- PFMEA: Digital torque tools significantly reduce bolting risks compared to manual checks.
- FMEA-MSR: Software self-diagnostics improve detection rating for ECU systems.
How to Capture Lessons Learned
- Document at the end of FMEA → “What worked, what failed, what improved risk ratings?”
- Store in a central database or lessons-learned repository.
- Make lessons accessible to future projects (through FMEA software, checklists, or knowledge bases).
- Review during kickoff of new FMEAs to avoid repeating errors.
Case Study – Lessons Learned in Automotive DFMEA #
- Project: Electric motor design.
- Failure Mode: Winding overheating.
- Lesson Learned: Using insulation rated at 180°C prevented multiple failures.
- Action: Added to lessons-learned database → future motor projects automatically use high-temp insulation.
👉 Result: Reduced new design risks and shortened FMEA sessions for similar projects.
Best Practices for Customer Communication & Lessons Learned #
- Communicate clearly: Use FMEA Summary Reports for external stakeholders.
- Protect confidentiality: Share detailed FMEA sheets only when required by CSRs.
- Highlight improvements: Show before vs after AP ratings to prove risk reduction.
- Capture lessons continuously: Don’t wait until the end — note learnings as the project progresses.
- Standardize lessons learned: Use templates or software to ensure consistency.
- Close the loop: Apply lessons learned in the planning phase of future FMEAs.
Common Mistakes to Avoid #
- Sharing entire FMEA documents unnecessarily, risking information overload or IP leakage.
- Failing to update customers on open High Priority (AP) actions.
- Not capturing lessons learned, leading to repeated mistakes.
- Storing lessons in isolated spreadsheets instead of centralized systems.
- Not integrating lessons learned into kickoff checklists for new projects.
Why This Step Matters #
- Strengthens customer trust by showing proactive risk management.
- Ensures audit readiness with documented results.
- Builds a continuous improvement culture within the organization.
- Saves time and cost by reusing knowledge instead of starting from scratch.
Key Takeaways #
- Customer Communication: Provide concise reports highlighting risks, actions, and results.
- Lessons Learned: Capture, store, and reuse knowledge to strengthen future FMEAs.
- Both are essential for transparency, compliance, and continuous improvement.
- Step 7 ensures that FMEA creates long-term value, not just short-term risk reduction.
Next Resource #
👉 Explore FMEA Knowledge Management – How to Build a Lessons Learned Database
