Abstract: As our society becomes more environmentally conscious, manufacturers must incorporate 'environmental qualities' into products. This paper proposes a general design methodology to effectively support environmentally consciousness design of products. The methodology employs three tools: LCA (life cycle assessment), QFDE (quality function deployment for environment), and TRIZ (theory of inventive problem solving). QFDE is a tool developed by modifying and extending QFD, and is extended further in this paper. In addition, connecting two consecutive tools is realized by established relations among those tools. The presented methodology is proved through application to a hair dryer to effectively support the product planning and conceptual design stages. For instance, designers could utilize one of the LCA results that the product has a high impact on global warming through energy consumption during its use phase to define a requirement objectively in QFDE, 'reduce the energy consumption' with a high weighting. TRIZ allowed designers to generate four improvement solutions. The most highly evaluated was using resonance frequency on the motor. This was obtained from a QFDE result that 'dry quickly' and 'dry quietly' have a contradiction. The methodology has a larger benefit than is obtained from utilizing those three tools independently.

Abstract: Total Quality Management is an integrated approach to management that continuously improves the quality of products and services to achieve customer satisfaction. Even though researchers throughout the world have developed various models to measure service quality in service organizations, the instrument SERVQUAL formed the basis for all the models. After a careful analysis of SERVQUAL, it has been found that certain important aspects of service quality were not covered in it. Hence, this research work proposes a conceptual framework and an instrument for measuring the customer-perceived service quality. The instrument has been designed with specific reference to the automobile service sector. Data have been collected from the customers of various automobile service stations. The proposed instrument has been empirically tested for convergent validity, unidimensionality and reliability using a confirmatory factor analysis approach. A conceptual framework for service quality has been proposed based...

Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to propose a tool, the Agile Supply Chain Transformation Matrix (ASCTM), and the implementation methodology for a systematic approach to achieve agility in the supplier‐buyer supply chain.Design/methodology/approach – The conceptual framework for agile capability creation is developed based on literatures in the supply chain management and manufacturing agility field and the ASCTM tool is constructed using the quality function deployment (QFD) and the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) technique. The implementation methodology including the tools to support the implementation of the ASCTM tool are developed based on the QFD/AHP approach and the agility concepts established through the Agility Program at Lehigh University. A practical case study is used to illustrate the applicability of the ASCTM tool.Findings – This tool can help companies create and improve their agility by relating the business changes with the appropriate approaches for supplier‐buyer supply chain ...

Abstract: Simultaneous multiple product design is essential to meet customer expectations faster and with a focus on shortening life cycles, and new methodologies are needed to address the complexities related to it. quality function deployment (QFD) can help gather customer needs and link them to product design. However, understanding customer needs accurately is a challenge for traditional QFD analysis, and for this reason, Kano's model of customer satisfaction is associated with QFD in the literature. However, incorporating the results of Kano's model into QFD presents another challenge. The objective of this research is to provide a step-by-step methodology that fine-tunes the QFD method by combining Kano's model and QFD in a robust manner, from the perspective of simultaneous multiple product design. This research also includes an application of this proposed methodology on cockpit weather information system (CWIS) design, a part of NASA's Aviation Weather Information (AWIN) project, to demonstrate its usefulness

Abstract: Quality function deployment (QFD) is a popular tool for product development in industry. QFD aims at setting targets for product characteristics so that products optimally meet customer demands. In this article, the focus is not on the actual effects of QFD but on more fundamental possibilities and limitations of QFD. In particular, I will discuss a number of methodological problems in QFD. One of the most disturbing methodological problems is the impossibility of translating individual into collective customer demands and the impossibility of translating customer demands into engineering characteristics without violating one or more very reasonable conditions. These problems are due to Arrow’s Impossibility Theorem. I discuss whether a number of alternative QFD approaches are helpful in overcoming these methodological problems and suggest directions for the further development of QFD and for research.

Abstract: This paper presents a novel redesign approach that allows integrating environmental requirements into product development, taking into account cost and customer preferences. The proposed methodology allows the identification of environmental improvement options and the study of the effect that the incorporation of these options has over other traditional product requirements. However, for the incorporation of environmental improvements to be feasible from the company perspective, a market for environmentally friendly products must exist where customers are willing to pay for such products. The primary idea is to compare the increase that the incorporation of the environmental improvements produces on the life cycle cost of the product to the additional money that the customer is willing to pay for perceiving environmental benefits. The proposed approach is focused on establishing a relationship between quality function deployment (QFD), life cycle assessment (LCA), life cycle cost (LCC) and contingent val...

Abstract: Quality function deployment (QFD) is a system for translating customer requirements (government regulations, operating conditions and buyer expectations) into suitable technical characteristics and ensuring that important ones are prioritized in the design. The method has been successfully applied in the manufacturing sector; however, its benefits have not yet been fully realized in construction. The House of Quality (HoQ), the most common ‘tool’ in QFD, has been used to identify and analyse customer requirements for a new children's nursery. A focus group was formed to gather these and a comparison made between an existing nursery and two competitors to ensure that the new build was designed to be at least as good as its competition. The results showed that QFD could be applied in construction projects as a tool for considering the most important customer requirements from the outset, with favourable indicators of project success (on‐time delivery and customer satisfaction). In addition, the case study c...

Abstract: Selection of an optimal non-traditional machining (NTM) process for generating a desired feature on a given material requires the consideration of several factors among which the type of the workpiece material and shape to be machined are the most significant ones. This paper presents a quality function deployment (QFD) based methodology to ease out the optimal NTM process selection procedure. It includes the design of a QFD-based expert system that can automate the decision making process with the help of graphical user interfaces and visual aids. The developed expert system employs the use of a house of quality (HOQ) matrix for comparison of the relevant product and process characteristics. The weights obtained for various process characteristics are utilized to estimate an overall score for each of the NTM processes. Finally, if some of the NTM processes satisfy certain critical criteria, they are again compared with each other on the basis of their overall scores and the process having the maximum score is selected as the optimal choice.

Abstract: In order to formulate an effective strategic plan in a customer-driven education context, it is important to recognize who the customers are and what they want. Using Quality Function Deployment (QFD), this information can be translated into strategies to achieve customer satisfaction. Since the final strategic plan relies heavily on the way QFD is used, this paper will first describe the existing problems in its use and then propose a better way to improve it. In this paper, the customers are divided into two major parties, namely, the internal and the external customer. The internal customer comprises of the lecturers and the students, while the external customer is the employers of the graduates. After collecting the Voice of Customer (VOC), the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) technique was employed to generate the priorities of the VOC for each group of customers. Then, the results were used as the input for formulating strategies or Quality Characteristics (QCs) to meet the Demanded Qualiti...

Abstract: In mass customization, different kinds of customer requirements should be satisfied by the manufacturer. Supplier selection is one important task in supply-chain management. Effective supplier selection calls for robust analytical methods and decision-support tools. This research aims to develop a supplier selection methodology based on extended quality function deployment (QFD) and data-mining (DM) techniques. Through considering customer requirement and performance of components in a product's full life-cycle, the manufacturer can use data-mining techniques to find out quality requirements correlated to customer categories, product usage patterns, and frequent fault patterns in order to select the proper combination of suppliers. In this way, the manufacturer can decrease costs, raise product quality, and improve customer satisfaction. Related data-mining algorithms for supplier selection are presented. Customer requirement analysis is also studied in the paper, and transcendental and empirical customer requirement analysis methods are put forward. A case study is provided in detail. Finally, as a part of the supply-chain management system, a supplier selection prototype system is designed and implemented. Evaluation of experiments in an automobile manufacturing enterprise verifies the feasibility and efficiency of our method.

Abstract: Customer needs for emotional satisfaction are increasingly being considered by product and service designers. While several existing methods such as conjoint analysis (CA), Kano model and quality function deployment support the translation of customer requirements into technical specifications, researchers are now working to develop methods aimed at integrating affective aspects into product design. Kansei engineering (KE) is a design philosophy that considers customer perceptions and emotions by adopting a multi-disciplinary approach. CA is a useful tool within a KE project. This article presents a methodology for conducting a KE project in early development phases. This methodology is based on two new procedures. The first one is aimed at calculating attribute importance weights by using respondent choice time in controlled interviews. The second procedure allows the exploitation of such weights in an ordinal logistic regression model for analysing the results of CA experiments. By using the proposed methodology, it is possible to identify product/service attributes able to induce specific emotions and feelings in customers and consequently choose the right development strategy. An application of the method for the design of mobile phones is presented. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Abstract: In this paper, an attempt has been made to propose a measuring instrument known as EduQUAL for evaluation of quality in Technical Education System (TES) Factor analysis has been carried out on responses obtained through cross-sectional questionnaire survey on various items to validate dimensionality of the instrument and it is found that 28 items loaded above 05 Neural network models have been proposed to assess the degree of satisfaction of various stakeholders in TES In doing so, not only the areas of improvement but also the minimum number of items satisfying all the stakeholders can be identified Finally, the Quality Function Deployment (QFD) method is used to provide guidelines for administrators of the institutions to prioritize improvement policies needs to be implemented

Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to provide a structured methodology for performing build‐in reliability (BIR) investigation during a new product development cycle.Design/methodology/approach – The methodology in this paper represents an extension of the Quality Functional Deployment/House of Quality (QFD/HoQ) concepts to reliability studies. It is able to translate the reliability requisites of customers into functional requirements for the product in a structured manner based on a Failure Mode And Effect Analysis (FMEA). Besides, it then allows it to build a completely new operative tool, named House of Reliability (HoR), that enhances standard analyses, introducing the most significant correlations among failure modes. Using the results from HoR, a cost‐worth analysis can be easily performed, making it possible to analyse and to evaluate the economical consequences of a failure.Findings – The paper finds that the application of the proposed approach allows users to identify and control the design...

Abstract: Quality Function Deployment (QFD) is a technique used in the Total Quality Management (TQM) field for converting customers' vague language into technical languages. Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) is an approach being followed to achieve quality in maintenance engineering activities. In order to nourish the synergic power of QFD and TPM, a model called Maintenance Quality Function Deployment (MQFD) has been developed. One of the hallmarks of MQFD implementation is the consideration of factors such as customers, technology, competitors, etc. If MQFD implementation is to be successful among organisations with heterogeneous cultures, their critical factors have to be compared thoroughly. The technique 'Analytic Hierarchy Process' (AHP) helps to achieve this task. AHP carry out pairwise comparison and sensitivity analysis of various critical factors and subfactors considered in MQFD projects. A sample application study of implementing AHP in MQFD programme in a maintenance-intensive Indian automobile service station was carried out. The details are illustrated in the subsequent sections of the article.

Abstract: Danish organic outdoor gardeners today use 50-300 hours per hectare for manual weeding. Through automatic controlling of an existing commercial machine this often heavy and costconsuming weeding will be eliminated. At the same time, a fully-automatic registration of field activities will contribute to the efficient implementation of EU directive 178/2002 concerning traceability in the primary production and thereby enhance the food-safety in the production chain. A radio controlled slope mower is equipped with a new robotic accessory kit. This transforms it into a tool carrier (HortiBot) for high-tech plant nursing for e.g. organic grown vegetables. The HortiBot is capable of passing over several parcels with visible rows autonomously based on a new commercial row detection system from Eco-Dan a/s, Denmark. This paper presents the solutions chosen for the HortiBot with regard to hardware, mechanicalelectrical interfaces and software. Further, the principles from a Quality Function Deployment (QFD) analysis was used to carry out the solicitation, evaluation and selection of most qualified design parameters and specifications attained to a horticultural robotic tool carrier. The QFD analysis provided a specific measure to evaluate each selected parameter in terms of satisfying user requirements and operational performance aspects. Based on a combination of importance rating and competitive priority ratings important user requirements include easy adaptation to field conditions in terms of row distance and parcel size, profitability, minimum crop damage during operation, and reliability. Lesser importance was attributed to affection value, attractive look, the possibility of out of season usage, and the use of renewable energy.

Abstract: E-commerce business managers are under increasing pressure to justify the value and contribution to the productivity and competitiveness of the organization It is the quality of their products and services that determines survival Excellence in quality helps firms gain customer loyalty and achieve competitive edge Previous studies have suggested the need to develop quality capabilities to improve business performance However, quality is multi-dimensional, and the development of each dimension requires different sets of resources It is important for a firm to develop quality capabilities with a focus on a particular set of quality dimensions to support its strategic needs Quality dimensions are not well established and recent studies indicate that more research is needed In this paper, authors examine the need for assessment of quality in e-business The existing quality measures are reviewed to include the emerging success dimensions of service quality and work group impact and provide a c

Abstract: In service-oriented architecture (SOA), quality of service is hidden to service consumers due to the blackbox nature of SOA. In a service composition, low quality of an atomic service may cause the quality degradation of all its successors in a service composition. Hence, quality management of a service is important in SOA environment. For this, definition of a quality model especially considering the consumers' perspective is a prerequisite since consumers are the first class users of the services. Therefore, this paper proposes a quality model for evaluating services in SOA regarding customers' perspective. We first analyze the service quality requirements and define quality attributes of the quality model. Then we define metrics for each quality attribute. To show the applicability and usefulness of the quality model, we perform a case study for flight ticket reservation service and finally perform a theoretical analysis.

Abstract: 2 The system concept 67 2.1 General definition of a system 67 2.2 Distinctive characteristics of a service system 67 2.3 A system as an hierarchy of classifications and actualizations 68 2.4 The metamodel construct 68 2.5 A provisional metamodel for service systems 70

Abstract: Quality function deployment (QFD) provides a specific approach for ensuring quality throughout each stage of the product development. Since the focus of QFD is placed on the early stage of product development, the uncertainty in the input information of QFD is inevitable. If the uncertainty is neglected, the QFD analysis results can be misleading. This paper proposes an extended version of the QFD methodology, called Robust QFD, which is capable of considering the uncertainty of the input information and the resulting variability of the output. The proposed framework aims to model, analyze, and dampen the effects of the uncertainty and variability in a systematic manner. The proposed framework is demonstrated through a case study on the ADSL-based high-speed Internet service. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Abstract: An integrated methodology using quality function deployment (QFD) and analytic network process (ANP) is proposed to determine and prioritize the engineering requirements of a cast part, based on the customer needs, for selecting and evaluating an appropriate rapid prototyping (RP)-based route for tooling fabrication. The QFD incorporates a planning matrix to translate the customer needs into measurable engineering requirements using a robust evaluation method based on ANP. Experimental data generated by carrying out benchmarking studies of widely used RP processes were used to facilitate assignment of relative weights in ANP. The methodology is demonstrated and validated with an industrial example of a separator body casting. It has proved to be a robust evaluation and decision-making tool for selecting appropriate tooling route for a given casting based on customer requirements.

Abstract: In market-driven requirements engineering for platform-based development of embedded systems such as mobile phones, it is crucial to market success to find the right balance among competing quality aspects (aka nonfunctional requirements). This paper presents a conceptual model that incorporates quality as a dimension in addition to the cost and value dimensions used in prioritisation approaches for functional requirements. The model aims at supporting discussion and decision-making in early requirements engineering related to activities such as roadmapping, release planning and platform scoping. The feasibility and relevance of the model is initially validated through interviews with requirements experts in six cases that represent important areas in the mobile handset domain. The validation suggests that the model is relevant and feasible for this particular domain.

Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate whether the use of quality function deployment (QFD) may contribute to developing innovative products. Its point of departure is the author's earlier research that investigated the application of QFD to product development in companies operating in Brazil.Design/methodology/approach – A case study approach with companies from different industries is employed in this paper. A questionnaire was used to gather data from four companies by checking some aspects of QFD projects with regard to innovation. Typical QFD projects with respect to product typology (platform or derivative) and their level of complexity are also analysed.Findings – The main results indicated that QFD may assist in developing innovative products, but is limited to additions to existing lines, product repositioning, and product improvement.Research limitations/implications – One constraint was the limited number of companies and projects analysed so that replications among other sample...

Abstract: The article presents an application of QFD method in a materials industry. The intervention aimed at quality assurance of a product during its redevelopment, in order to respond to the desire of product client of having a quality characteristic enhanced without jeopardizing others. Two deployments were carried out in association: positive quality and process technology. This study was conducted by means of action-research. It also employed an intervention guide for QFD studies. The technology deployment showed how alterations in process technology affect process control parameters (a focus on internal client); whereas, the quality deployment revealed how these same alterations affect the final product quality (a focus on external client). Planning and Analysis of Experiments showed to be helpful in defining interventions in the process and in establishing correlations. The article ends by pointing out some aspects not contemplated by the QFD intervention guide, as well as topics for future studies.

Abstract: The quality function deployment (QFD) conceptual design tool has been of significant benefit to customer satisfaction, while reducing the associated design time and cost. Observation of novice designers in tertiary engineering design courses identified a range of impediments to the robust transfer of QFD capabilities to the novice designers. These impediments appear to limit the perceived merit of QFD in novice designers and stymie its subsequent practical application. Given the improved design outcomes associated with QFD, a series of enhancements has been developed to overcome these impediments and assist the robust transfer of QFD capabilities to novice designers. The traditional QFD tool does not engage with customer requirements that constrain the feasibility of a design solution. This limitation restricts the applicability of QFD as an overarching design reference because an additional repository is required to document design constraints and may result in confusion in novice designers and flawed design outcomes if design constraints are used. A novel differential assessment method has been developed to overcome this limitation by enabling the inclusion of design constraints. The outcomes of this paper contribute to design education by facilitating the robust transfer of QFD capabilities and providing novel enhancements that expand the useful outcomes associated with QFD.

Abstract: Product innovation helps companies to obtain competitive advantage and operate successfully in an increasingly global market. Product development (PD) is a lengthy, expensive process. Thus, companies have a crucial need to assess whether or not they are on the right track from the early stages of product development. That is, to know whether their product is going to be creative and a marketing success. A proper assessment will allow the right decisions to be made, leading to the development of innovative products. The conceptual design stage is critical when assessing the innovation potential of a product. In this stage, there is a shortage of methods to help companies identify the most innovative product concepts. In this article, a method for assessing the innovation potential of product concepts and selecting those with greater probability of success is described. To that avail, aspects regarding the degree of novelty of product concepts and their potential for success in the market are taken into account. These aspects were integrated into a modified QFD matrix. The proposed method was successfully applied in two companies.

Abstract: A traditional Quality Function Deployment (QFD) has two shortcomings that are seldom considered. First, the relation in a traditional QFD matrix is frequently regarded only as a positive one. Therefore, the negative effect, which may be hidden in the blank cell (the category of ‘No relation’) of the QFD matrix, is neglected when computing the absolute importance of some design parameters, thus undermining the precision. Second, how to decide quality strategy, in view of limited resources, is not considered. The proposed method, called two-dimensional quality function deployment (2D-QFD), is developed from the ideas of Kano's model and fuzzy logic. The relation in the QFD matrix is distinguished through a questionnaire that consists of a pair of positive and negative questions. Furthermore, the qualitative relation, according to Kano's two-dimensional quality classification, in the QFD matrix is quantified by fuzzy logic. The negative relation in the QFD matrix may be derived when the membership f...