In this episode of Sourced by Cofactr, Ed Dodd tackles one of hardware’s biggest challenges: the friction between engineering precision and supply chain practicality. Through ten proven “give-and-take” practices, he shows how top teams replace bottlenecks with speed—covering proactive risk management, tolerance flexibility, disciplined ECOs, and smarter vendor onboarding.

This isn’t culture talk—it’s a tactical roadmap for aligning buyers and engineers. From early data sharing and second sourcing to total cost thinking and compliance by design, Ed breaks down how shared structure and clear expectations transform collaboration into a true competitive edge.