Quality and Compliance: Friction or Enabler?

Friction departments have a significant role in protecting companies from unnecessary risks, but they can also add value by driving innovation that aligns with the goals and objectives of the business. To ensure that they enable teams instead of inhibiting them, companies must treat friction departments as partners in the innovation process. This means understanding how they view ideas and ensuring that innovative concepts fit their ideas of low risk and high value. The key is finding the balance between customer centricity and compliance that forms the basis of a true partnership. One such strategy is dilemma reconciliation, which requires integrating quality and control departments within the business to directly support those needing help with their ideas. Forming partnerships with friction departments requires companies to view them as allies and involve them early in the innovation process, especially when dealing with disruptive ideas that require extra attention from a compliance point of view. Furthermore, innovating within friction departments involves falling in love with the problem, creating test and learn environments, and nurturing innovation through education and development of innovators.