Economics of design rework
Rework consumes an estimated 40 to 50% of development dollars, and 70 to 85% of it traces back to requirements and specification errors. Errors introduced early are expensive to find late but inexpensive to prevent.
Submission multiplier
Roughly two-thirds of first-cycle FDA submissions are stopped by Additional Information requests. The 510(k) review goal is 90 days, but clearance typically takes 140 to 175 calendar days.
Financial return
A 20-person technical team returns about $210,000 per year in reduced rework alone, an estimated four-month payback. Including faster regulatory approval, the annual return approaches $1.4 million against a training investment near $75,000.