Advanced Product Quality Planning (APQP) is a structured methodology developed by the AIAG (Automotive Industry Action Group) to guide product development from concept through production launch. It divides the launch process into five phases: Plan and Define the program, Product Design and Development, Process Design and Development, Product and Process Validation, and Feedback/Assessment/Corrective Action.
Each APQP phase produces specific deliverables: design reviews, DVP&R (Design Verification Plan and Report), process flow diagrams, PFMEAs, control plans, measurement system analyses, and initial process capability studies. These deliverables feed into the PPAP submission that ultimately gains customer approval for production shipments.
While APQP was created for automotive, its structured approach to launch readiness has been adopted across industries. The core principle — identifying and mitigating quality risks during planning rather than discovering them during production — applies universally. Manufacturers that follow APQP discipline experience fewer launch disruptions, lower scrap during ramp-up, and faster time to full-rate production.