Plan and manage a product development trial in a food and drink business
Overview
This standard is about the skills and knowledge needed for you to plan a product development trial in a food and drink business. The trialing of new or amended recipes, products and specifications is essential as kitchen recipe development and production can be very different from pilot and large scale production of a food and drink product. The cost incurred in the trialing of products is small compared to the possible losses incured in the poor conversion of a recipe to large scale production.
You must be able to plan a product development trial, ensuring all the materials, resources and staffing is available and communicate requirements and plans to colleagues. You must also be able to manage the running of a trial, gather information relating to the trial, evaluate findings and make suggestions to colleagues on your findings.
This standard is for you if you work in food and drink manufacture and/or supply operations and are involved in planning a product development trial in a food and drink business.
Performance criteria
You must be able to:
* Plan development activities*
- scope out requirements for product development trials
- check sufficient resource is in place to support product development trials
- source the product specification and any additional information relating to the product
- agree the scheduling of the trial with relevant people
- check sufficient quantities of the correct raw materials are available at the correct grade or specification in accordance with organisational requirements
- communicate staffing requirements to the relevant people
- make sure additional requirements including operating conditions, utilities, packaging and storage facilities are available
- construct a process timetable and communicate to relevant people
- confirm the monitoring and reporting requirements with relevant people
**Manage development trial
**
10. check the necessary materials, equipment and resources provided for the trial are fit for purpose
11. liaise with colleagues to determine any potential problems or challenges associated with the trial
12. apply problem solving techniques to address problems and challenges
13. monitor the production process trial to organisational requirements
14. evaluate information gathered during monitoring of the trial and feedback to relevant people
15. confirm all quality checks and product testing including sensory, microbiological or other tests are carried out systematically within an agreed timescale
16. agree modifications to the trial in the light of feedback and progress
Knowledge and Understanding
You need to know and understand:
- the organisational and regulatory requirements for the planning and managing of a product development trial
- why it is important to plan a product development trial
- how to source and confirm information relating to the trial
- why it is important to liaise with colleagues to agree the scheduling of the trial
- why it is important to ensure sufficient quantities of the correct raw materials are available at the correct grade or specification and how to do this
- what the staffing requirements are and how to agree them with relevant people
- how to construct a trial timetable and communicate to relevant people
- how to check the necessary materials, equipment and resources are fit for purpose
- why it is important to liaise with colleagues during a product development trial to gain positive and negative feedback on all aspects of the trial
- how to evaluate and implement suggestions from feedback
- problem solving techniques and how to implement them
- the organisational and/or customer requirements for the monitoring of product development trials
- how to ensure all quality checks and product testing including sensory, microbiological or other tests are carried out systematically within an agreed timescale
- the purpose and objectives of different types of product testing
- how to determine the appropriate monitoring and reporting arrangements for the trial