The Value of Third Party Reviews

When I learned the art of R&D from experienced masters, they spoke little on the subject of Third Party Reviews (TPRs). They said little, but they always insisted on having them!

Actions speak louder than words.

The first-party review is when the engineer or researcher checks his or her own work. A second party is either a co-worker, a boss, or the customer, who looks over the work and approves or critiques it.

A Third-Party Review is when an independent outsider with no direct involvement has a look and points out the obvious that the others were too close to the problem to see. It's a matter of perspective!

A TPR is very useful for gaining confidence in the direction that a project is taking. In management, the TPR is recognised as a best-practice. It may even be mandatory before releasing additional project funding or at other key gateways.

TPRs are also valuable for picking up errors that were too obvious to be noticeable to those making them. Cross-pollination with other disciplines is another benefit, and tapping into the creativity and experience of someone outside the immediate field is a third. For these reasons, TPRs are also an Engineering best-practice, apart from management requirements. Even if the boss didn't insist on one, many highly experienced and highly qualified engineers rely on them.

TPRs can encompass an engineering design, analysis, recommendation, or a finding. They can also be useful for checking the validity of a test design, procedure, or data analysis especially if those involved in doing the work are not particularly trained experts in testing.

I did not realize the full value of TPRs until I came in contact with businesses who did not use them routinely. Only then did I see how much time and money they can save, as businesses who did without found themselves struggling and failing at R&D. Is it possible that a technique that is universally accepted and valued is still unknown in some parts of the world?

How to choose a good TPR provider:

It may be someone in the same company with suitable qualifications, but working in a different department.

Retired engineers are often good, if they have kept in touch with current technology.

Engineers from an allied company that is neither a vendor nor a customer nor a competitor can perform the role quite well.

Engineerng consultants usually fill the gap when no other suitable person can be found. But Buyer Beware! Choose a consulting engineer who is highly qualified, highly experienced, and a very good communicator.

And (ahem) humble, too.

But isn't it expensive? Won't the company go broke paying for consultants? Ask someone whose company went broke because they couldn't get R&D results in time. Was the few dollars they saved trying to do it all themselves worth the business? They would be totally embarrassed to know how little money they "saved" by not getting the assistance that might have saved the company. Ask me how much I charge. Go on, ask.