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52 The PCB Design Magazine • July 2015 suring that the PCB design professional work- ing on your job is up-to-date with all the latest international electronics and design standards is crucial to ensuring that the job you require to be done is completed to the right standard and quality. On the subject of reliability it is also impor- tant to consider where and with whom you're information is being sent to. Many PCB sub- contractors are happy to sign non-disclosure agreements, which ensures that your patent pending products or closely guarded product information is protected. It is also worth considering how safe your information is in the hands of that outsourcing part- ner and for some organisations the need to seek confirmation from government bodies in or- der to outsource their PCB de- sign work is mandatory. 6. Communication A good and competent communication process for any outsourcing is essential. Knowing what a customer is looking for and how to deliver it can be challenging especial- ly when there are two people looking at the same product, but with different ideas and dif- ferent images of how it should be completed. Often this can be where the biggest errors occur. Get- ting the initial schematics correct is critical to the longer-term success of the project. With this in mind, having the right meth- ods of communication are also vital. Many companies use online web chats which not only enable companies to work collaboratively, but also allow them to use screen-sharing tech- nology to ensure that changes being made are in agreement with both parties. Once the de- sign is complete it can be signed off and agreed by both parties. The increase of cloud technology has also helped with sharing of large, data heavy docu- ments and means that the work can be shared, adapted and amended, speeding up the deci- sion making and delivery times. With that in mind, geographical distance is less and less of an issue and companies are sourcing designers from far and wide, based upon their work and quality produced as opposed to their location. 7. Long-term Commitment Often when someone decides to go down the route of outsourcing their PCB design, they will go back to that organisation again (obvi- ously subject to satisfactory competition of the first job). Check their website for case studies, recommendations and online reviews of the com- pany. This can be a useful tool when searching out an appro- priate outsourcing partner. If other companies are happy and consistently returning there is more likelihood that they will be a sound partner to work with. Long-term partnerships are also advised, as an out- sourcing partner is in a better position to know instinctively what additional things to note within the design or manufac- ture. Once a subcontractor is familiar with your procedures and design requirements, they will be accustomed to the chal- lenges and methods required to make those design successful. 8. Outsourcing the Outsourcing? Quality is a huge concern for many when considering outsourcing and the last thing you want is to go through the process of finding the right designer for you, checking their accredi- tations, working with the organisation only to find out that the work they have promised to do has been outsourced to another organisa- tion. This can be a fairly common situation and even though the organisation may trust the company they are outsourcing to, the question is whether their standards will be maintained if they are using multiple designers and compa- nies. This isn't always a problem, but an addi- article on the subject of reliability it is also important to consider where and with whom you're information is being sent to. Many PCB subcontractors are happy to sign non-disclosure agreements, which ensures that your patent pending products or closely guarded product information is protected. " " 10 CONSIDERATIONS FOR OUTSOURCING PCB DESIGNS continues