Integration of Quality Planning with the ProductDevelopment Process

Quality planning is a key element of product development, especially in automotive projects governed by Advanced Product Quality Planning (APQP) reference logic. The literature indicates that the main research gap is not the absence of APQP or quality planning methods, but the lack of a dedicated approach for assessing how mature APQP-oriented quality planning is cascaded and embedded across organisational layers. This article develops a conceptual model linking product development with product and process quality planning at the strategic, process, and operational levels. The study is based on a literature review, gap analysis, system analysis, and conceptual modelling. The contribution is the development of a three-layer integration model and the Quality Planning Integration Maturity Index (QPIMI), a matrix-based tool for maturity-oriented assessment. QPIMI is proposed as a complementary diagnostic layer, not as an alternative to APQP. The approach supports evidence-based self-assessment and provides a basis for further empirical validation.