Quality Function Deployment(QFD)

Technical Story
Imagine that two engineers within the same company are working on two different components of a car sunroof simultaneously but separately. The insulation and sealing engineer develops a new seal that will keep out rain, even during blinding rainstorm . The handles, knobs, and levers engineer is working on a simpler lever that will make the roof easier to open.

Technical Story-cont.
The new lever is tested and works well with the old seal. Neither engineer is aware of the activities of the other .As it turns out, the combination of heavier roof (due to the increased insulation) and lighter lever means that the driver can no longer open the sunroof with one hand Hopefully, the problem will be detected in prototype testing before the car is put into production. At that point, one or both components will need to be redesigned. Otherwise, cars already produced will need to be reworked and cars already sold will have to be recalled. None of these alternatives is pleasant and they all involve considerable cost. Could such problems be avoided if engineers worked in teams and shared information? Probably not! Even in design teams, there is no guarantee that all decisions will be coordinated.

Technical Story-cont.
A formal method is thus needed for making sure that everyone working on a design project knows the design objectives and aware of the interrelationships of the various parts of the design. Similar communications are needed between the customer and marketing, between marketing and engineering, between engineering and production, and between production and the worker In a nutshell, a structured process is needed that will translate the voice of the customer to technical requirements at every stage of design and manufacture. Such a process is called Quality Function Deployment.

QFD-A Brief History

Originally developed in Japan in the late 1960s by -Dr Shigeru Mizuno -Yoji Akao Now widely used not only in Japan but in Europe and the US This was in response to the growing success of the Japanese industry during the 1970s

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QFD-Definition
A planning tool used to fulfill customer expectations.

A tool used to translate customer requirements (Voice) to engineering specifications.

Definition-cont.
A structured process for planning the design of a new product

or service or for redesigning an existing one. It emphasizes

thoroughly understanding what the customer wants or needs. Then those customer wants are translated into characteristics of the product or service. Finally, those characteristics are translated into details about the processes within the organization that will generate the product or service.

QFD-PURPOSE
Regarded as an important tool to: -improve quality -reduce manufacturing costs

-increase organization capabilities

-to make the organization more competitive - develop products that better fulfills users needs

Features of QFD
Focuses on meeting market needs by using actual customer statements (Voice of the customer) - expectations - requirements It requires Customer and top Management commitment

Its effective application of multidisciplinary teamwork -cross functional -makes use of effective communication
The use of a comprehensive matrix called (the House of Quality) for -documenting information

Benefits of QFD
Improves customer satisfaction - defines requirements into basic needs
- fewer customer complaints

Reduces implementation time - reduction in design changes

- expensive corrections and redesigns are eliminated

Promotes teamwork -inputs are required from all facets of an organization Provides documentation -database serves as a valuable source for future designs Increases in market share
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QFD-Some Problems
Misinterpretation
-mistaking product characteristics for customer requirements -often the answers given by customers are difficult to classify as needs

Time and resource

-often seen as additional workload -costly, the planning stage may take longer

Constraints
-investment in training & market research and use of key functional representatives -makes high demands on already stretched personnel resources

Clash of culture
-based upon Japanese management practices -symptoms of conflicts may include poor internal communications between functions -lack of management commitment to the process

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QFD-Sources of Information
An organization can collect data on customers via :

Solicited- customer and market surveys Unsolicited- complaints or lawsuits Quantitative- use of statistical data Qualitative- interviews and observation Structured- interviews, surveys Random- vendors, suppliers Figure 12-2 p.320
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QFD Process
Phase I- Product Planning Phase II- Part Development

Phase III- Process Planning Phase IV- Production Planning

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Phase I- Product Planning (House of Quality)

Translate customer requirement into product technical requirements to meet their needs.
Links user requirements to product attributes.
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Phase II- Part Development

Translate technical requirements to key part characteristics or systems. Subsystems broken down into critical part characteristics

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Phase III- Process Planning

Identify key process operations necessary to achieve key part characteristics. Relates single subsystems with production processes (critical step)

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Phase IV- Production Planning (Process Control)

Establish process control plans, maintenance plans, training plans to control operations. Define quality control steps to follow.
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Positives of QFD Process (cont.)

More time spent on early stages = less time spent on later stages (redesigning). In turn shortens overall time of process in half Better products in long run

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Negatives of QFD Process (cont.)

Initially expensive Initially time consuming

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 QFD is considered a key practice of Design for Six Sigma.

Also implicated in the new ISO 9000:2000 standard which focuses on customer satisfaction.

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House of Quality
The house of quality is the most popular QFD matrix
Russell, R. S. and Taylor III, B. W. (2006)

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QFD
Goal =

The house of quality is used as a tool to meet customer demands and understand customer requirements
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7 Steps
1. List Customer Requirements (WHATs) 2. List Technical Descriptors (HOWs) 3. Develop a Relationship Matrix between WHATs and HOWs 4. Develop the Interrelationship Matrix between HOWs 5. Competitive Assessment 6. Develop Prioritized Customer Requirements 7. Develop Prioritized Technical Descriptors

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Step 1 - List Customer Requirements (WHATs)

Problem- Current and future customer needs are not adequately understood.

Solution - Voice of the customer Will list customer requirements and expectations
Primary factors broad Secondary factors - narrow

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Step 2 - List Technical Descriptors (HOWs)

Problem - The competitive situation is not understood nor adequately considered.

Solution - Perform competitive analysis. Lists materials, processes and ect to identify what is needed to meet customer requirements
Primary Secondary
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Step 3 - Develop a Relationship Matrix between WHATs and HOWs

Problem - Inadequate attention is paid to developing a product strategy and value proposition.

Solution - Develop the product strategy and value proposition. Identifies the strength of relationship between customer requirements and technical descriptors +9 Strong () +3 Medium () +1 Weak () 0 Not Applicable (Nothing)

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Step 4 - Develop the Interrelationship Matrix between HOWs

Problem - Product requirements and specifications are not carefully balanced against needs and implications. Solution - Rigorous consideration of a variety of factors in objectively developing requirements and specifications. Identify areas in your process where technical issues may conflict or be tough. +9 Strong Positive () +3 Positive () -3 Negative (x) -9 Strong Negative (*)

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Step 5- Competitive Assessment

Problem - Insufficient attention is given to developing collaboration and teamwork. Solution - The initial product planning with QFD leads to rapidly developing collaboration, teamwork, and commitment to the product strategy and plan. Rank your companys ability to meet customer requirements (WHATs) on a scale of 1 to 5 (1 worst 5 best) Rank your technical descriptors (HOWs) on a scale of 1 to 5 (1 worst 5 best) These rankings are then compared to competitors by ranking their ability to meet customer requirements and technical descriptors on a scale of 1 to 5.

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Step 6 - Develop Prioritized Customer Requirements

Problem - In a rush to develop a new product, inadequate attention is given to developing and evaluating concept alternatives. Solution - Identify a more optimal, and perhaps even a break-through solution rather than continuing with the traditional concept used for past products. Can Identify: Importance of a customer requirement (1 to 10) Target Value where the company wants to be (1 to 5) Scale-up factor how many points are necessary to meet the target value 29

Step 7 -Develop Prioritized Technical Descriptors

Problem - Critical characteristics, process requirements and quality controls are not effectively linked.

Solution - Alignment and commitment throughout the process and avoids some of the last minute quality problems that occur during launch. Can identify:
Degree of difficulty of a technical descriptor (1 to 10) Target value where the company wants to be (1 to 5)

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