An InterAct-backed academic has developed a groundbreaking digital tool that could dramatically transform product development and testing.
The VVT Prioritisation Tool, created by Dr. Khadija Tahera at The Open University, is a free, interactive online platform that helps engineers align verification, validation and testing (VVT) strategies with customer requirements, regulatory standards, and business objectives.
It offers a smarter way to plan and prioritise product testing, potentially saving time and reducing development costs.
It was developed with the support of InterAct, the Made Smarter Innovation programme that brings together economic and social scientists, UK manufacturers, policymakers, and digital technology providers to address the human issues resulting from the diffusion of new technologies in industry.
Traditional VVT methods often focus too narrowly on technical risks, primarily reflecting the perspective of engineers. However, Dr. Tahera’s research highlights the importance of integrating the voices of the customer, regulator, and business to ensure comprehensive, effective testing strategies.
Her research led to the development of an innovative tool that brings previously siloed testing methodologies – Quality Function Deployment (QFD), Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA), and Design Verification and Validation Plans (DVP&R) – into a unified, user-friendly platform.
It guides engineers through a seven-step process that helps prioritise tests, make data-driven decisions and plan necessary tests, offering a dynamic solution to effective testing in product development. Users can also simulate changes and visualise how shifting priorities impact outcomes.
Dr. Tahera said: “Testing can account for up to 75% of a product’s development budget. This tool simplifies a complex process into a clear, repeatable approach. It encourages teams to challenge assumptions and work collaboratively to improve quality, reduce cost, and ensure compliance.
“Though still in prototype, the tool is powerful, scalable, and promotes smarter, faster decision-making. I believe manufacturers of all sizes can benefit from exploring its potential.”
The tool is available at smart-testing.open.ac.uk and is already attracting interest from engineering solution providers and manufacturing companies.
InterAct was a £4.4 million Made Smarter Innovation-funded, Economic and Social Research Council-led network that brought together economic and social scientists, UK manufacturers, policymakers, and digital technology providers to address the human issues resulting from the diffusion of new technologies in industry.
With involvement in over 70 events both in-person and online, welcoming more than 2,000 stakeholders to engage and connect, InterAct has placed building the Network at the heart of their activities. With more than 750 network members, the community has proven to be a dynamic bridge between industry, policy and academia.
InterAct funded 30+ projects spanning topics from Digital Change Management to sustainable steel manufacturing and public perceptions of manufacturing, bringing together 100+ researchers from more than 40 institutions.
InterAct also collated insights for UK manufacturing from the global manufacturing environment, leading research missions to engage with 150+ manufacturing and digital technology leaders in Singapore, Malaysia, India, Australia and Sri Lanka.
Professor Jillian MacBryde of the University of Strathclyde, co-director of InterAct, said: “We are immensely impressed with Dr Tahera’s pioneering research which offers a transformative approach to the VVT process. It has the potential to reshape how manufacturing industries approach product development, ensuring that products meet the highest standards of quality and safety but also drive down costs by addressing risks more efficiently.”
For more information about the VVT Prioritisation tool visit smart-testing.open.ac.uk
For more information about the work of InterAct visit here.
