Top Five Roadblocks APQP Teams Encounter—and How to Overcome Them

In the aerospace and defense sector, few initiatives are as critical, or as challenging, as Advanced Product Quality Planning (APQP). Guided by the AS9145 standard, APQP is the structured methodology that drives product quality and program success by integrating quality planning throughout the product lifecycle. Its goal is predictable launches, reduced risk, and consistent performance.  

For many organizations, implementing APQP isn’t always easy. It’s a significant cultural and operational shift, and roadblocks are inevitable. Today, we’re digging into the five most common APQP challenges and giving you grounded, practical strategies to clear the path forward.

1. Complexity & Organizational Transformation

Challenge:

Adopting APQP through AS9145 often feels like rebuilding the aircraft mid-flight. It touches everything: processes, tools, organizational mindset, and even the structure itself. Unsurprisingly, this level of complexity overwhelms teams and creates resistance.  

Solution:

Start with a phased rollout. Make sure to pilot the process in one program and prove success before scaling. Use the APQP Maturity Model to assess where your organization stands and identify what a realistic, stepwise improvement plan looks like. Your next step is leveraging tools like the Supply Chain Management Handbook (SCMH) for added support. Finally, make sure you’re utilizing change management. This includes targeted training, establishing clear roles and responsibilities, and maintaining consistent cross-functional communication. You’re not just changing processes; you’re leading transformation. 

2. Poor Ownership & Role Ambiguity

Challenge:

If everyone is “kind of” responsible for APQP, then no one actually is. When roles and ownership aren’t clearly defined, deliverables fall through the cracks, and phase progression stalls.  

Solution:

Establish a RACI matrix (Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, Informed) for each APQP phase and deliverable. It’s important to assign dedicated APQP champions in key functional areas like engineering, quality, manufacturing, and procurement. It’s especially critical to tie cross-functional reviews to milestones so accountability is part of every step. For smaller teams you can scale this approach to fit available resources. 

3. Budget Constraints

Challenge:

It’s common to see organizations try to use APQP without dedicated funding for training, tooling, or staffing. This is a surefire way to set yourself up for failure before you even start.  

Solution:

You need to build the business case. Highlight the ROI: cost avoidance through early risk identification, smoother launches, and fewer escapes. Use industry data and internal examples to back it up. If budgets are tight, request phased funding releases tied to APQP maturity milestones. Showing actual progress may earn you further funding going forward. 

4. Ineffective Supplier Flow-Down

Challenge:

Your APQP is only as strong as your weakest supplier. When requirements aren’t clearly communicated down the supply chain, or worse, when suppliers aren’t APQP-ready, everything suffers. As a result, delays, documentation gaps, and mismatched expectations will follow.  

Solution:

You’ll want to begin with a supplier APQP maturity assessment. Don’t waste your time guessing; you need to know where your suppliers stand. Provide training and tools (like webinars, templates, and maturity scoring). Formalize APQP and PPAP requirements into contracts and POs to eliminate ambiguity and promote compliance. For global supply chains, you may want to consider localization strategies to ensure readiness across regions. 

5. Treating PPAP as an Add-On

Challenge:

Many teams still treat Production Part Approval Process (PPAP) as something to do “at the end.” This mentality can easily lead to rushed submissions, documentation gaps, and quality risks.  

Solution:

To avoid these issues and more, make sure you are integrating PPAP into every phase of APQP. Link deliverables like DFMEAs, control plans, and FAI readiness early on in the process. Use phased PPAP checkpoints and align with the customer on submission expectations up front. This reduces surprises and strengthens trust.