Department Manager Kawashima must have honestly thought that we weren't ready for shipment after viewing my report. However, he agreed to the application for the shipment judgment. Maybe he was sympathetic as he watched me desperately going to work while administrating IV to kill the pain. And shipment judgment was held as scheduled.

Uncomfortable atmosphere

The shipment judgment meeting was held on January 28th. About 30 persons related to the project attended. It was a large meeting. Although my health was nowhere near cured, I luckily did not feel any pain during the meeting.

Explanations were given concerning the IP telephone and CCU that they were on time and that there were no problems that would cause a delay in shipment. The efforts of the members involved had been commendable. Now it was my turn. As the person in charge of LU development, I had to explain the contents of errors and the measures taken. I felt extremely pressured trying to explain about the LU still with an outstanding issue, especially after IP telephone development and those in charge of CCU proceeded with their explanations smoothly.

Indeed, it was a shipment judgment meeting that I requested upon taking measures for the remaining problem. I also had accurate awareness of the remaining issue and had absolute confidence that the measure taken was appropriate. However, I could not sufficiently verify the effectiveness of the measure due to lack of time. I was frustrated that I could not objectively prove that the problem was fixed, regardless of my confidence. While I started the explanation, the atmosphere of the room slowly became uncomfortable.

Due to the efforts of the Sales Department, the first user of IP stage was already decided. And the deadline was closing in. Since this shipment judgment meeting was held after numerous shipment schedule changes, there was no way that shipment could be delayed further when considering the delivery.

Obviously, such matters concerning the Sales Department and our efforts are irrelevant in a shipment judgment. Such factors are taken out of the picture without mercy and judgment is made in an extremely calm and business-like manner on whether technical aspects meet the level required for shipment as a product. I knew this, but I was reminded again the difficulties of this judgment.

After completion of my explanation, I listened to the shipment result without defiance. I felt like a lawyer fresh out of law school who had just made an unconvincing plead to the jury despite the solid proof at hand, and was waiting restlessly for the verdict.