Abstract: Educational institutions like other organizations are realizing the significance of customer‐centered philosophies and are turning to approaches such as total quality management to help manage their businesses. This paper starts with the background theory and then outlines the results of a study conducted on students within selected educational institutions in India to obtain a student perspective of the quality of those institutions. The SERVQUAL methodology was applied to identify the gap between customer expectations and perceptions of the actual service received. The quality function deployment technique was then used to identify the set of minimum design characteristics/quality components that meet the requirements of student as customers of the educational system.

Abstract: The development and testing of an instrument for obtaining user feedback on the overall quality of B2C electronic commerce Web sites, SITEQUAL, is discussed. Using previous research in information quality and service quality as a springboard, a conceptual model and an instrument to measure Web site quality were developed. A factor analysis was conducted which suggested that four minimum Web site quality factors and seven desired Web site quality factors are important to consumers in the retail music industry. The use of Web site quality factors for measurement of consumer expectations and perceptions, determining Web site requirements, and guiding the testing process is suggested.

Abstract: Quality function deployment (QFD) has been used to translate customer needs (CNs) and wants into technical design requirements (DRs) in order to increase customer satisfaction. QFD uses the house of quality (HOQ), which is a matrix providing a conceptual map for the design process, as a construct for understanding CNs and establishing priorities of DRs to satisfy them. This article uses the analytic network process (ANP), the general form of the analytic hierarchy process (AHP), to prioritize DRs by taking into account the degree of the interdependence between the CNs and DRs and the inner dependence among them. In addition, because human judgment on the importance of requirements is always imprecise and vague, this work concentrates on a fuzzy ANP approach in which triangular fuzzy numbers are used to improve the quality of the responsiveness to CNs and DRs. A numerical example is presented to show the proposed methodology. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Abstract: In this paper, an approach combining the Kano model and quality function deployment (QFD) is proposed to meet customer requirements in product design. The Kano model provides an effective way to categorizing customer requirements and helps understand the nature of these requirements. The Kano model categories the customer satisfaction into three fields, namely, "must be", "attractive" and "exciting". QFD is a customer-focused product design method. It can transfer customer requirements to products' engineering characteristics. By combining the two methods, we can provide a new way to optimize the product design. The proposed methods can be useful to both practitioners and researchers.

Abstract: In the current highly competitive marketplace, customer demand is a major factor in the product design process. Many methods, such as quality function deployment and House of Quality (HoQ), provide a powerful process for translating and mapping customer demands into technical requirements. In the HoQ process, the customers' perceptions and expectations should be evaluated together in order to identify desirable product features. Moreover, in variant product design, the priority of each feature needs to be determined based on the customers' ratings of both the feature importance and customers' satisfaction. Although many methods such as quality attribute ranking, potential gain in customer value index and the analytic hierarchy process have been previously used to determine the relative importance of customer demands, they do not offer specific methods to determine a revised priority for product redesign. To address this issue, this research focuses on not only determining, but also revising the priority o...

Abstract: Quality function deployment (QFD) is a proven tool for process and product development, which translates the voice of customer (VoC) into engineering characteristics (EC), and prioritises the ECs, based on the customer's requirements. Conventional QFD evaluates these targets for crisp weights of the customer attributes (CA), identified from the VoCs. The VoCs are not crisp and generally exhibit a well‐defined distribution. Crisp weights assigned to non‐crisp CAs can lead to wrong prioritisation of the EC. In the past, fuzzy numbers have been used to represent the imprecise nature of these judgements and to define more appropriately the relationship between EC and CA. This paper proposes fuzzy logic‐quality function deployment (FL‐QFD) – the use of fuzzy logic principles in QFD. It is an innovative method of determining optimum rating of ECs by simulating the QFD matrix for randomized CA rating in the fuzzied range. The rule‐based knowledge system defines the relationship between the ECs and the CAs. The flexible manufacturing system (FMS) design problem investigated by Khoo and Ho (Khoo, L.P. and Ho., N.C., “Framework of a fuzzy quality function deployment system”, International Journal of Production Research, Vol. 34, 1996, pp. 299‐311) is presented to show the application of the proposed model. The results are compared and examined to study the effect of the CA on prioritising the EC. The paper addresses the issue of defining non‐crisp customer attributes in the QFD, and offers practical help to an individual intending to further investigate the proposed model.

Abstract: Modular product design is an engineering methodology that considers both physical and functional relationships among components within product life cycle. In this study, fourteen modular drivers based on available literature are proposed. In addition, Quality Function Deployment (QFD) is deployed to accomplish modular product design with two major phases. Phase one is the exploration of design requirements, which combines customer needs, company development strategies, and designers' preference to select proper modular drivers through competitive analysis. In phase two, modular product analysis and linear integer programming are used to establish final configuration. Furthermore, the process and application is illustrated by a real case of electrical consumer product provided by an Original Design Manufacture (ODM) based manufacturer. The result demonstrated that designer can direct a new approach to establish product modules from the relative importance of those chosen modular drivers.

Abstract: Today's global business environment, characterized by unprecedented competitive pressures and sophisticated customers that demand speedy solution creates a bigger set of potential suppliers to evaluate and to choose from. To deal with the complexities of the supplier selection process, an integration of Quality Function Deployment (QFD), Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) and Preemptive Goal Programming (PGP) techniques is proposed. A QFD matrix is used to display the degree of relationship between each pair of requirement for suppliers and supplier evaluating criterion. This paper employs the AHP first to measure the relative importance weighting for each of the requirements in the QFD process. Secondly, it is used to assess the evaluating score for each of the candidate suppliers for each particular supplier-evaluating criterion. PGP is built to deal with some suppliers' constraints such that the total value of purchase (TVP) becomes maximum and the total cost of purchase (TCP) minimum.

Abstract: Since the 1960s, quality function development (QFD) has been recognized worldwide as a suitable planning tool for translating customers' needs into product specifications. QFD methodologies, as opposed to traditional quality approaches, are most often cited as essential for advancing the competitive advantage of an organization. This paper proposes a modified approach to QFD, called “QFD strategy house”, as a systematic means of incorporating intelligence on markets, consumers and technologies in strategy development. It links marketing and manufacturing strategies by first developing a continuous improvement strategy. Both the marketing and manufacturing literatures have reported that an alignment between the two constituent strategies confers a competitive advantage in the marketplace.

Abstract: The hybrid of the balanced scorecard, SWOT analysis and quality function deployment creates a pragmatic approach for managerial and consultant practitioners to translate vague strategy into action. Sun Tzu's Art of War is further incorporated to develop a more structured strategic formulation framework. Nevertheless, many modern practitioners are, in fact, unfamiliar with this profound principle of strategy that was written some 2,400 years back. Despite the establishment of a theoretical framework, so far there have not been many published papers about the pragmatic implementation and holistic strategy development. Thus, a case study, in the form of a strategy workshop of a professional institute in Hong Kong, has been used to delineate the aforesaid translation of strategy.

Abstract: To provide an advanced product definition methodology based on quality function deployment (QFD) principles to identify minimize the risks of project failures due to failure to align with the voice of the business. The methodology was developed by reviewing current design product definition and QFD tools and then applied to a number of industry‐based design projects in academia as well as an in‐depth case study at one industry organization. The tool has been well accepted for its ease and approach in both industry and academic environments and already used to help guide project management. The methodology has only been applied to limited projects in industry and advancements and improvements are still being made. A new simple but powerful tool based on QFD principles that can be readily applied to a number of current design projects; in addition, it demonstrates how the QFD method can be expanded to non‐traditional domains and systems. This paper not only identifies current product development issues but also explores a practical and proven solution to error‐proof the design process.

Abstract: This note describes a model that measures the quality of the project service of a D/B firm using quality function deployment (QFD). This model is an add‐on to a model developed previously by the authors to measure the corporate service quality performance of D/B firms. The project service quality performance model makes use of 10 service quality factors and their relative weights (transferred from the corporate service quality performance model), three components of quality management systems in place in D/B projects (ranked by senior managers in D/B firms) and the relationships between service quality factors and quality system requirements (established by a professional quality system assessor). It uses QFD to calculate a quality performance index. The combined corporate and project service quality performance index can be used by D/B firms to benchmark themselves against their competitors or to monitor their own performance. It can also be used by owners to rank D/B firms relative to their service qual...

Abstract: E-Business represents new avenues for sustainable competitive advantage. Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are now expected to be digital-ready to continue as trading partners for their customers. SMEs require socio-technical skills and organizational skills and know-how to comprehend e-Potentials and transform them into e-Implementation. An e-Business planning framework is proposed here which links both in strategic and operations management by applying quality function deployment (QFD, also known as house of quality). The balanced scorecard (BSC) will be used to provide an organization overview to objectives setting, critical in ensuring e-Initiatives are aligned with organization vision and objectives. The paper presents the pilot stage of this research project, discussing how the proposed planning framework works. Data from a case study are employed, and expert advice was sought to prioritize and rank the system components (the ‘whats’) and their interrelationships. The paper begins with an in...

Abstract: The aim of both value analysis (VA) and quality function deployment (QFD) is to reduce waste by avoiding redesign and providing optimal location of costs in general. To satisfy the consumer's most important needs, the VA prioritizes the increase in the cost of the product and not the subsequent price rise. QFD aims at generating clear engineering needs from consumer requirements thus, minimizing the reprojecting cost (“cost” should read “waste”) and changes in the products. The existing common concepts between two design tools, QFD (the project tool) and VA (the product optimization tool) motivated this study. QFD establishes a link among parameters such as the consumer needs, engineering requirements and a comparative analysis of the consumer perception against that of rival companies. The VA prioritizes a rise in the aggregate value (perceived by the consumer) by optimization development and production costs. The proposed methodology is capable of integrating these two tools, integrating costs with product development (“for the consumer”) for a joint analysis. This way it is possible to establish optimum cost values for each engineering requirement. It is also possible to evaluate the cost of each product function. Furthermore, the methodology provides a tool that supports decision making in product development and projects. This work evaluates the integrated use of the QFD and VA tools. Employing a survey that was carried out which intended to reveal the young male consumers’ requirements concerning a sports bicycle.

Abstract: This paper takes the concept of integrated services to meet individual user needs one step further, by addressing how integrated services can be delivered over the Web in a service chain involving multiple partners. Moreover, a framework is developed and applied to enable fulfilment of individual user needs by developing the appropriate service delivery in terms of Web interface and content, as well as the underlying processes and functionalities, which in turn are defined within an information technology/information systems architecture. The methodology of quality function deployment is used in this context, and applied to a real estate service environment in Australia.

Abstract: Globalization has provided excellent opportunities for the global manufacturing community together with a stringent barrier on cost control. Target costing has emerged as one of the main tools in aiding the manufacturers to be globally competitive. This paper analyses the effect of tools such as quality function deployment (QFD) and value engineering (VE) on target costing and explores the way in which these tools assist in achieving the target cost. The target costing model developed by Cooper and Slagmulder (Cooper, R. and Slagmulder, R., Target Costing and Value Engineering, Productivity Press, New York, NY, 1997) has been modified and tools such as QFD and VE have been incorporated in the model. Due to inherent uncertainties in the associated cost of various elements, the model has been further strengthened with the use of fuzzy logic. The theoretical model developed was implemented in an Indian auto component manufacturing company and the results were analysed. Target costing significantly relies upon QFD and VE for its effective implementation. Uncertainty in cost estimation plays a significant role in the target costing process since any variation in cost violates the cardinal rule of target costing, “the target cost should never be exceeded”. Fuzzy logic plays a vital role in accounting for uncertainty in the target costing process and gives a different perspective to arrive at the function cost. A functional approach (VE) combined with QFD backed by fuzzy approach appears to work effectively for a target costing process that is evidenced from the case study. It appears that the model developed will work satisfactorily for an industrial product and the validity of the model for fast moving consumer goods has to be ascertained.

Abstract: In their quest to develop an optimal channel mix, organisations face significant challenges. Despite ubiquitous discussions concerning click and mortar strategies, there is little empirical work that compares the strengths and weaknesses of emerging and existing technologies, or addressed channel mix design in relation to the opportunities provides by information and communication technologies (ICT). In this paper, we introduce a multi-channel design support method, based on a discussion of existing literature and a number of case studies. Based on existing theory and current literature and research approaches to internet servicing, we develop a multi-channel design support method. We start from and extend the Quality Function Deployment (QFD) method by explicitly distinguishing requirements and solutions. The main extension to traditional QFD is that in addition to customer requirements we also take supplier requirements as our starting point. We focus on a combined use of the web, call centres, retail stores and personal sales. Our main case finding is that there are a number of significant differences with regard to the sales cycle support that these channels can provide.

Abstract: The design structure matrix (DSM) has been widely known as an effective approach for the modelling and analysis of a design process for the manufacture of a product from the perspective of information flow. It provides a formal method to capture and manage the interactions and interdependences among design tasks. Nonetheless, the difficulties in constructing a reliable numerical DSM prevent wider applications of DSM and its derived techniques. In this work, an approach to quantify systematically the dependency between design tasks in a DSM is proposed. The proposed approach aims at estimating the coupling strength of tasks in a DSM by making full use of the information contained in quality function deployment matrices. To realize this, a house of quality matrix is first constructed, followed by transferring the information in the house of quality to an extended design deployment matrix, and then the dependence strength of each task–attribute pair in the extended design deployment matrix is analysed. The d...

Abstract: Quality Function Deployment (QFD) is an integrated product design process involving all members of designers and customers. It is a method for mapping and prioritizing customer requirements into functional features and technical modules to optimize market performance. Although the quality of a product can be dramatically improved through a QFD exercise, the traditional crisp scoring approach has a major drawback. A wrong conclusion can be easily produced since the fuzzy nature of linguistic correlation terms from evaluation members is ignored. To overcome this problem, fuzzy scoring for linguistic terms is proposed in this paper. The implementation case of a low-end digital camera design shows that the result of the proposed fuzzy QFD model can reflect the certainty level of an evaluation term, which is designated for each correlation of customer requirements and technical requirements considered in design.

Abstract: In order to develop a software product for a critical system, specifying quality requirements is vitally important. Quality requirements should be defined based on various stakeholders’ needs. Software quality impacts the information system’s behavior, and the behavior impacts the behavior of the External-System that contains the information system. Safety is an issue of the External-System. A software product alone is harmless, because it can do nothing without computer hardware. However, any software quality characteristic, such as security and reliability, impacts the External-System’s safety. In this paper, conceptual models for quality requirements are presented. Then needs, requirements, and quality requirements are defined. Requirements for a Quality Requirements Engineering method are also stated. Then a method for Quality Requirements Engineering and associated specification is provided with a simple example.

Abstract: This paper argues that the under-utilisation of statistical quality control techniques in the service industry results from an incomplete conceptualisation of service quality. A systems framework for service process quality is proposed and used to diffuse popular arguments against the use of statistical quality control in services. The framework is also used to discuss potential misapplication of control chart techniques that may occur when charting methodologies are implemented regardless of the process flow of the service operation that is being analysed. A general approach to categorising control chart methods according to service process flow characteristics is also provided.

Abstract: The UK house-building industry has often been criticized for the quality of its products. Its business drivers are less focused on the needs of customers compared with much of the manufacturing sector. A recent survey revealed considerable dissatisfaction among buyers of newly built homes, particularly with the after-sales service provided by vendors. However, this cannot be viewed in isolation from the general business culture that prevails. This paper examines existing practices in the industry that act as barriers to a change in culture and discusses the steps that are being taken in a major house-building company to overcome them. Work on implementation of the policy through a balanced set of performance measures as the drivers for change and a participative programme for its deployment is presented. The objective is the development of a customer-focused culture that views service and product quality as contributing to future sales and profitability, instead of simply in terms of costs.

Abstract: Siemens recently launched a new product, the MAGNETOM Avanto, onto the market. The initial customer reaction was tremendous. The product definition followed a structured process and state‐of‐the‐art tools like quality function deployment (QFD) and conjoint analysis were applied. This paper analyses the impact of all these efforts in product definition on market success. It retrospectively summarizes the benefits from various tools and methods. The medical equipment market, its mechanisms and special features are introduced in a case study of magnetic resonance imaging equipment developed at Siemens Medical Solutions. The decision‐making or purchasing process in this market is very complex. Therefore dedicated market research approaches using a variety of different methods were required. Focus groups, conjoint analysis, broadband surveys and face‐to‐face interviews were all useful. In addition, an astute segmentation of the individual groups that influence a purchasing decision had to be made. From all these market research activities a company normally ends up with an immense amount of contradicting requirements. The article shows how these requirements were converted into a clear system specification and new technological solutions. The Siemens MAGNETOM Avanto has been very successful in the market. Customer reaction and feedback indicates that the product has many unique selling points, best performance in many aspects, and no major weaknesses. Siemens believes that this is due to the very systematic and comprehensive approach of the product definition.

Abstract: To present a method for prioritising customer needs that was devised for a quality function deployment (QFD) project at a mass spectator event, due to the particular characteristics and constraints of this project. Standard methods for prioritising customer needs documented by several authors are reviewed, as well as their principal features and why they were not suitable for this particular QFD project. The devised method is presented together with an example extracted from this project. With the data available from the project, this method is briefly contrasted to a standard similar method. Presents the devised method as an effective solution for this particular QFD project. The method was useful for this particular QFD project due to the time and physical location constraints, but more research is needed in order to assess the real accuracy of this method compared to other documented practices. Sometimes standard practices may not be suitable for particular QFD applications, so methods should be adapted to the unique characteristics of specific QFD projects. This paper presents a review of documented practices for prioritising customer needs that was done for a particular QFD application, as well as a method that was devised because these standard practices were not effective enough for handling the constraints in the project. The process followed and results obtained may serve as a reference for QFD practitioners in the selection of a convenient method for prioritising customer needs.

Abstract: Dimensional requirements greatly influence the performance of a product, yet there is no systematic process for determining them. Often as a result, some dimensional requirements are overlooked at the design stage, which forces costly changes at a latter stage of product realisation (such as manufacture and assembly). A methodology is presented here which will assist extracting the dimensional requirements for a product from the customers’ needs. It is suitable for use in a Concurrent Engineering (CE) environment and incorporates some of the existing methodologies used in CE viz. quality function deployment, tree diagrams (The New Seven Tools) and Pugh’s concept selection method. It provides a systematic way of determining the dimensional requirements of a product and establishes clear links between customer needs and the dimensional requirements. These links will help the CE team to understand the product requirements and how they are to be satisfied through the dimensional aspects of a design.

Abstract: A QFD (Quality Function Deployment) process (20) is provided for a retail establishment. Displays for use in selecting and viewing data resulting from the QFD process (20) allows for analysis of particular consumer requirements.