ME 362

Mechanical Engineering
Design
Part 4.1

Muhammad Ilyas
 Todays topics

Review : Stages of Design Process

TQM / QA / QC

Customer Focus in Design Process

Example: Brainstorming

Customer Survey

QFD

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Problem Definition
Thorough understanding of problem
outstanding solution
Required for all kinds of problem
solving:
math problems
production problems
design problems

Always question original Problem
Statement
Major step of PDP (product
development process)

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 Problem Definition
Product development begins
by determining the
requirements that a product
must meet e.g.
Functional
Durability
Reliability
Cost
Aesthetics

Product design : ultimate test of a solution is meeting

managements goal related to the marketplace, i.e.
The product to meet customer requirements!
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 Total Quality Management

Design process : Problem definition refers to a solution

that satisfies the customer
Same approach as adopted in the Total Quality
Management (TQM)
TQM : integration of all functions and processes within
an organization to achieve continuous improvement of the
quality of goods and services. The goal is customer
satisfaction!

Problem Customers
Product
definition satisfaction

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 QA / QC
Quality
Quality of a product : fitness of the product to do the job as required
by its user
Quality : conformance to requirements, not goodness
Quality Control
Controls applied at each manufacturing stage to consistently produce
a quality product
Observation techniques and activities used to fulfill requirements for
quality
Quality Assurance
A way of preventing mistakes or defects in manufactured products
Avoiding problems when delivering solutions or services to customers
Focused on providing confidence that quality requirements will be
fulfilled
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Customer Focus in Design Process
Who is customer?
TQM : Customer is anyone who receives or uses
what an individual or organization provides
Internal and External customers
External customer :
purchases an organizations / company's products or services
is not an employee or part of the organization / company
Internal customer :
within the organization
e.g. the design engineer who receives information on the
properties of three potential materials for his / her design : an
internal customer of the materials specialist

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Customer Focus in Design Process
Identifying customers needs
By answering the following types of questions :
Who are my customers?
What does the customer want?
How can the product satisfy the customer while generating a profit?

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 Customer Requirements (Kano Model)

Expected Quality : I assume it meets all federal, state, and local building codes.
Normal QualitySpokens : Three-car garage, three bedrooms, two baths
Normal QualityUnspokens : I'll know it when I see it!
Exciting Quality : Wow!! A lifetime warranty on the roof!
Source: www.asq.org

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Customer Focus in Design Process
Gathering information from customer
Interviews with customers
Focus groups
Customer complaints
Warranty data
Customer surveys

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 Problem Definition
Brain storming : natural idea generation tool that can be used at
the problem definition stage in the design process
Example:
It was desired from a student design team to
select the familiar jewel case (that protects
compact discs in storage) as a product needing
improvement.
What are the brainstorming activities in this
case?
As a first step, the team brainstormed to
develop ideas for possible improvements to the
CD case. The following ideas (next slides) were
generated in response to the question: What
improvements to the current CD case would
customers want?

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 Problem definition

Brainstorming:

Assume a CD casing available in

the market. What could be the
possible improvement that a
customer will need?

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 Problem definition
Improvements:
1. Case more resistant to cracking
2. Easier to open
3. Add color
4. Better waterproofing
5. Make it lighter
6. More scratch-resistant
7. Easier extraction of CD from the circular fastener
8. Streamlined look
9. Case should fit the hand better
10. Easier to take out leaflet describing the CD
11. Use recyclable plastic
12. Make interlocking cases so they stack on top of each other without
slipping
13. Better locking case
14. Hinge that doesnt come apart

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 Problem definition
Grouping ideas
1. Case more resistant to cracking (Stronger)
2. Easier to open (Opening / Extraction)
3. Add color (Aesthetics)
4. Better waterproofing (Environment)
5. Make it lighter (Aesthetics)
6. More scratch-resistant (Stronger)
7. Easier extraction of CD from the circular fastener (Opening / Extraction)
8. Streamlined look (Aesthetics)
9. Case should fit the hand better (Aesthetics)
10. Easier to take out leaflet describing the CD (Opening / Extraction)
11. Use recyclable plastic (Environment)
12. Make interlocking cases so they stack on top of each other without slipping
(Other)
13. Better locking case (Opening / Extraction)
14. Hinge that doesnt come apart (Stronger)

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 Affinity diagram:
tool used to organize ideas and
data
placing data into groups based on
natural relationships

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Outcome of brain storming in above
example:
This information helps to focus the teams
design scope.
It also aids the team in determining areas
of particular interest for more research
from direct interaction with customers and
from the teams own testing processes.
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 Customers survey
Till now, we are discussing the problem definition
The design process : problem definition refers to a solution that
satisfies the customer
Getting the customers voice is important to develop the
quality products
One of the important way to get the customer / market
feedback is the customers survey
Creating an effective survey requires :
Determine the survey purpose. Be clear about who will use the
results
Determine the type of data-collection method to be used (e.g. focus
groups or freeform interviews)

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 CTQ CRs

Critical To Quality (CTQ) Customer Requirements (CRs) : Highest-ranked CRs

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