“You want to know your weakness? Read the Guideline! – Why insufficient explanations of weaknesses do not improve product quality”
On July 1, 2025, we organized another Gate4SPICE event in Nuremberg together with ISCUE GmbH & Co. KG. The topic of this meeting touched on a key point in assessor practice: How do the wording and explanations of “weaknesses” influence the quality of an assessment – and ultimately product quality?
Our colleagues Horst Kostal and Bernhard Sechser were also there, both of them contributed valuable insights with their expert presentations and in the discussion.
Bernhard Sechser kicked things off by presenting the central questions: What requirements does the current version of the VDA Automotive SPICE® Guidelines place on the phrasing of “weaknesses”? And why is a mere “not sufficiently documented” not enough to initiate improvements? He highlighted the basics of formulating comprehensible and effective weaknesses. The focus was on clear orientation toward the contents of Guideline 2.0 and understanding the purpose and effect of weakness descriptions.
Horst Kostal then pointed out the negative effects of vague or superficial explanations – both for the project team and for the assessor himself. His core message: Only those who formulate precisely create understanding and room for maneuver.
Anna Schüpferling (ISCUE) supplemented the program with a presentation on communication errors in assessments. In particular, the classic sender-receiver problem was illustrated with practical examples.
In the afternoon, the participants worked in groups on specific examples: What does a well-reasoned weakness look like – and how can you recognize a poor one? The joint exchange resulted in practical suggestions for improving the wording and deriving meaningful measures.
At the end, the groups presented their results. The conclusion: Those who write better “weaknesses” automatically improve the significance and impact of the entire assessment. The intensive exchange once again demonstrated how important clarity and quality are in documentation.
Why this topic is so relevant
• Improve product quality: Precise descriptions of weaknesses lead to more targeted improvements.
• Avoid misunderstandings: Clear wording helps project teams with implementation.
• Work in compliance with regulations: Guideline 2.0 requires comprehensible justifications – for good reason.
We would like to thank all participants for an exciting day with valuable input and lively discussion!
Would you like to learn more about assessments and good weakness justifications?
Feel free to contact us – or visit one of the upcoming Gate4SPICE events!