Design Review Tree compared with Relyence FMEA, APIS IQ-FMEA and Miro| Design Review Tree | Relyence FMEA | APIS IQ-FMEA | Miro |
|---|
| Method and purpose: A tree of design checks where each leaf is set to Not Validated, Unknown, Validated or Not applicable. Every parent node takes the worst status of its descendants, and the product is validated when the root turns green. It is an independent cross-check of overlooked items, not a risk-ranking method. | Method and purpose: A browser-based FMEA application for design and process FMEAs, piece-part FMECAs and FMEA-MSR. It scores failure modes with configurable risk criteria and links to boundary diagrams, control plans and DVP&R. It is a full risk analysis with severity, occurrence and detection logic, which the Design Review Tree does not contain. | Method and purpose: A desktop FMEA and risk analysis suite built around the seven FMEA steps, with a separate editor for each step. It is used for structured risk analysis with traceable links between functions, failures and actions. The Design Review Tree only tracks validation status of checklist nodes. | Method and purpose: A general online whiteboard for diagrams, mind maps and workshops. A tree can be drawn by hand, but statuses are not propagated automatically. It suits team brainstorming rather than rule-based validation. |
| Standards and analysis types: No standard is implemented. The tree supports a structured design review as a complement to a company quality procedure, and the related posts and standards shown above the tree depend on the clicked node. | Standards and analysis types: Supports AIAG and VDA, SAE J1739 and ARP5580, and MIL-STD-1629A, with FMD-2016 failure mode distributions. This makes it suitable when a customer or standard requires a specific FMEA format. | Standards and analysis types: States support for the AIAG-VDA harmonized FMEA standard, with Version 7.0 described as fully supporting it and Version 8.0 now listed. It is a common choice where the VDA methodology is contractually required. | Standards and analysis types: No FMEA or reliability standard is built in. The free plan gives access to a large template library, but a dedicated FMEA template is not stated on the pricing page. |
| Data handling and export: Status choices are calculated in the browser and are not sent to the server, which helps with confidential designs. The result is saved as a PNG image for the design file. Leaving the page before saving loses the selections. | Data handling and export: Data is stored in the application and can be reused through a Knowledge Bank. Installation can be on-premise, in a private cloud or in the vendor cloud. Workflow, approvals and action tracking are included. | Data handling and export: Analyses are kept in a database that is shared between the FMEA steps. The page links to system requirements and a server product (APIS CARM-Server) for shared use, but does not detail deployment choices. | Data handling and export: Boards live in the vendor cloud. The free plan allows low-resolution exports only, while high-resolution JPG and PDF export starts with the Starter plan. |
| Licence and cost: Free, with registration as a member. The tool is limited to members because it is server-resource intensive. A large screen, about 27 inches, is recommended. | Licence and cost: Priced by quote only, with no price on the product page. A two-week free trial with all features is offered without installation. | Licence and cost: Licensing options and a university licence exist, and a trial is offered (60 days according to the site description). No prices are listed on the page. | Licence and cost: Free plan with up to three editable boards. Starter and Business are paid per-member plans. |
| When to choose it: Choose it for a quick, free, hierarchical sanity check of a design before release, with a visual result for the records. | When to choose it: Choose it when a documented, standard-compliant FMEA with approvals and control plan links is needed across a company. | When to choose it: Choose it for a VDA-oriented FMEA process in a German or automotive supply chain that already uses APIS tools. | When to choose it: Choose it for collaborative sketching and workshops where formal risk scoring is not required. |
