DESIGN QUALIFICATION
Design qualification (DQ) is the documented collection of activities that define the functional and operational specifications of the instrument and criteria for selection of the vendor, based on the intended purpose of the instrument. Design qualification (DQ) may be performed not only by the instrument developer or manufacturer but also may be performed by the user. The manufacturer is generally responsible for robust design and maintaining information describing how the analytical instrument is manufactured (design specifications, functional requirements, etc.) and tested before shipment to users. Nonetheless, the user should ensure that commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) instruments are suitable for their intended application and that the manufacturer has adopted a quality system that provides for reliable equipment. Users should also determine the manufacturer's capability for support installation, services, and training. This determination might be aided by the user's previous interaction with the manufacturer.