A product can be born dead before it reaches the Market for various reasons, but the two most important are: Not having taken into account the requirements of potential Clients and a Cost above what the Client {Market} is willing to pay for the product or service in question.
qfd-quality-function-deployment-deployment-function-qualityWhen the Just in Time was being developed in Japan, western companies used the following formula to obtain the price of a product or service:
PRICE = Cost + Profit
In this formula, if the cost increased, western suppliers immediately achieving the same profit increased the price; maintaining the same added value in the product or service.
The Japanese companies put themselves in the place of the Clients and understood perfectly the point of view of the Client who pays for the product or service that is to be sold to them and used the following expression:
Profit = PRICE - cost
In this case, if the market sets the price of a product or service, the only way to obtain the same profit is to reduce the cost, giving the Client just what he is willing to acquire, eliminating everything unnecessary from the Client's perspective. The same formula is used, but the Customer's requirements are understood, which is why they have conquered the global market in a large series of products, and just to mention a few: cars, cameras, televisions, electronics, etc.
QFD serves to systematically and methodically develop a design and its possible modifications of characteristics and quality, seeking Customer satisfaction, giving them only what they need at a reasonable price. Starting the process with the CUSTOMER'S VOICE heard from the first contact by the Sales area, the transmission of said voice to Engineering and the translation of all requirements into objectives to be achieved in the design and quality assurance, which must be applied in all phases of Supply Chain, Production, Installation and in the Post-sale stage. Ensuring that the methodology allows documenting and following up on all the Client's requirements, through the entire process of successive phases expressed in matrix form until the achievement of the Client's complete satisfaction.
The forerunners of the QFD methodology are: Nishimura, Takayanagi, Mizuno and
Furukawa. However, the first formalization of the specific concept was carried out by Yoji Akao in 1973, giving rise to the origin of this methodology expressed through three Kanjis:
HIN SHITSU: Quality, characteristics, attributes, qualities.
KI NOU: Function, mechanization, system.
TEN KAI: Deployment, diffusion, development, evolution.
From where it began to use the term coined in the USA of: QFD Quality Function Deployment, THE VOICE OF THE CLIENT or the HOUSE OF QUALITY.
In 1978 Shigeru Mizuno and Yoji Akao published the book "Quality Function Deployment: An Approach to Total Quality Control" It represents the systematization of fundamental ideas and themes of the QFD. And it was not until 1986 that Bob King published the first QFD book in the USA: "Better designs in half the Time".
QFD translates the Client's needs expressed in popular slang, into design requirements, security, services, quality, cost and delivery time for which he is willing to pay, because they give him the added value he needs to satisfy his need and solve his problem. QFD identifies needs and expectations, prioritizing expectations based on cost and time. Prioritizing the resources to offer the quality required and expected by the Client, seeking to maximize their desire to acquire the product or service.
A very useful tool linked to QFD is the Noriaki Kano model that identifies six categories that help prioritize customer satisfaction:
1. Basic or Mandatory Requirements (The Client assumes receiving them, if they are not provided they will cause the dissatisfaction and dissatisfaction of the Client).
2. Requirements of Delight or Enthusiasm (They are what make a product or service more attractive).
3. Performance Requirements (If the performance is high they produce satisfaction, if they are low they create dissatisfaction).
4. Indifference (The client does not give greater importance to these qualities and it is convenient to avoid them to reduce costs and improve delivery times).
5. Questionable Aspects (The Client does not always expect them and they are negotiable).
6. Reverse Considerations (Normally the Client expects them but they do not give great value when delivering them and it is generally customary to obtain them at no additional cost, if they are charged they produce discontent).
In Hauser & Clausing's opinion the biggest disadvantage of QFD is the vague and imprecise information that is handled from the Client's requirements; same that is compiled by Sales and Marketing. Since it is largely qualitative, generating communication and opinion conflicts between the different areas that intervene throughout the process, due to the very different language that each area handles and the need to translate, unify and reach consensus.
QFD METHODOLOGY.
QFD uses as a basis, the Matrix Diagrams of “the 7 new quality tools”. It establishes logical connection points between groups of characteristics, functions or activities, representing them graphically. Different relationships and the degree of relationship between two different sets of elements are displayed and identified. The most common provisions are: "L" Matrix Diagram, "A" Diagram or Triangular Matrix; Matrix Diagram in "T", Matrix Diagram in "Y" and Matrix Diagram in "X".
QFD shows interrelationships to reach conclusions that help develop a product or service to obtain Customer satisfaction. QFD associations in Japan report more than a hundred different possible matrices. http://qfdhk.org/ http://yojiakao.net/index_topic.php?did=177396&didpath=/177396
The matrices themselves are not the end goal but rather the means used by QFD to translate the Voice of the Client and be able to take decisions for the design of a product or service that meets the Customer's requirements.
The matrices are normally prepared by multidisciplinary staff who consider the approaches from different areas. The matrices are nothing more than the simple comparison of tables that contain information on the requirements or needs of the Client (QUE's) on the one hand and on the other, information listed on the means to achieve those requirements (HOWTOs).
To build the matrices it is necessary to start from a secure, firm and solid support; therefore, the basis must be to understand the problem well, that is, the real needs of the Client and the way in which a systematic and sequential solution will be given to said requirements. In conclusion, the Quality Deployment Function is mainly constituted by two main stages:
(1) The deployment of product quality that represents the actions that convert the Customer's requirements into product quality characteristics
(2) The deployment of the quality functions that represent the activities that will ensure that the quality required by the Customer will be fulfilled.
These stages in turn are made up of matrices and phases.
1. Fundamental or Basic
Matrix It is the Quality Matrix and is popularly known as
CASA DE LA CALIDAD, due to the shape it tends to present. On the left side is the Customer Requirements Table (QUE's), and on the top: the Table of Quality Characteristics (COMO's). This Basic Matrix is the most widely used. The vast majority of studies only conclude
this initial phase. A number of smaller studies proceed to analyze additional aspects to achieve the total objective and delve into obtaining greater detail of information, continuing with other matrices and phases, which is what comes to give opportunities and strengths to those who use them. It is necessary to make it clear that QFD is not the same as the quality house, the latter is only part of the former.
2. Matrix of Functions-Quality Characteristics. In this second phase, the matrix of the Functions come to be what the Product or Service in question is wanted to do WHAT's -left, and the Quality Characteristics at the top or ceiling (AS's). This matrix identifies the functions of the product or service for which there are no quality characteristics, for which no specific function corresponds. Obtaining as a result of this second matrix a better and clearer definition of functions and more objective and measurable characteristics of quality, giving us an additional visualization advantage.
3. Quality Characteristics Matrix-Quality Characteristics. This phase compares the quality characteristics with each other to identify possible positive or negative correlations (to different degrees) between themselves. WHAT is located on the left and HOW's in the triangular ceiling in the Quality House. A higher level of detail will be achieved by specifying more critical needs and giving us other additional advantages.
4. Matrix of Quality Characteristics-Components. This phase uses only the
Most critical Quality Characteristics are placed on the left (QUE's) and Ceiling Components (COMO's). The objective is to identify which components are most related to the most critical Quality characteristics. It gives a vision of the maximum priorities to satisfy and you get one more opportunity and advantage. 5. Client Needs Matrix-Functions. In this phase the matrix is built with the needs of the Client on the left (QUE's) and the Functions on the ceiling (COMO's), identifying the Relative Value or Percentage of each Function. The percentage multiplied by the estimated cost for the product or service determines the value assigned for each function. The objective is to give a value to each function,focusing on the analysis of cost reduction to know an opportunity and again an additional advantage.
6. Function-Mechanism Matrix. A greater detail of the product is achieved by showing how the Functions (left - WHAT) and the Mechanisms at the top (HOW's) are related starting from the expected cost for each Function of the previous matrix; an estimated value can be obtained for the cost of each Mechanism. Logically, the focus of this matrix is to identify Mechanisms that must be analyzed for their higher cost and achieve additional advantages and opportunities that help achieve better customer satisfaction.
7. Matrix of Quality Characteristics-Mechanisms. The most critical Characteristics located to the left WHATs and the Top Mechanisms or HOWs focus on identifying their relationships to establish the level or degree of interrelation, what to improve, what to eliminate or reduce, achieving additional customer satisfaction and with it advantages over the competition..
8. Components-Mechanisms Matrix. The aim is to establish a value for the cost of each component based on the expected cost for each mechanism of the corresponding matrix; Identify the components with the highest cost value for cost reduction analysis. The Components on the left or QUE's and the Mechanisms on the roof or COMO's. Manages to visualize better opportunities and customer satisfaction to achieve their loyalty.
9. Client Needs Matrix-Failure Modes. It establishes what are the possible incapacities to carry out the actions required by the Client and which must be studied in detail to fulfill the objective of the product or service that the Client requires. The Client's Needs or QUE's and the Failures in the upper part or ceiling.
In addition to ensuring Customer loyalty, it opens opportunities with new
Customers.
Generic Use Guide for each matrix.
In general, there is no single path or determined flow to follow in the use of the various Matrices. Each application will require a specific study, which will lead to the decision to complete one or more of the possible matrices (keep in mind that there are many more matrices that are not indicated and that may be fundamental for a particular case that you want to study. indicated here is only illustrative and not limiting). However, below are some matrices that could be used for different purposes within the QFD:
MATRICIAL PHASES OF QFD FOR MANUFACTURING AND SERVICE COMPANIES.
There are three basic approaches regarding the number of matrix phases to be used to achieve a complete study with the QFD methodology:
(I). The Generic Model called the Matrix of Matrices. Developed by Akao and adopted by Bob King-CEO of GOAL / QPC. http://www.goalqpc.com/profile.cfm
Includes 30 matrix phases, of which the user uses only the ones he really needs depending on whether a product, software or service is being worked on. Use special software to help you identify key matrices; depending on whether it is to satisfy a Customer need with a product or service.
(II). The Focused Model, or Model of the Four Phases. It is a modification of the Akao model proposed by Makabe, which was introduced in Ford by Donald Clausing and became the basis of the ASI (American Supplier Institute) approach. It is focused only on four matrix phases (Product Planning, Product Design, Process Planning and Process Control Planning).http: //www.saarj.com/images/download/SAJMMR/SAJMMR,%20JUNE_2012/SAJMMR, JUNE% 202012% 20PAPER
S% 20PDF / 6.8,% 20Azim% 20Zarei.pdf
(III). Model of 18 Matrix Phases. It is the least popular, proposed by Akashi Fukuhara, it is the one that gave Toyota leadership.
In short, each pair of tables establishes a matrix. The matrices successively determine each of the phases, which define what to do and progressively transform it into how to do it. They are transferring the Client's requirements to the production requirements through different matrix phases in sequence.
The number of phases depends on the objective to be achieved and it is essential to make clear that there is no single way to apply QFD. Each application must follow its own guidelines and create the matrix phases appropriate to the intrinsic peculiarities of each process, which do not necessarily have to be limited to the 18 or 30 matrix phases established by two of the models.
In America, four phases are developed more frequently as a basis to complete the cycle from Customer requirements to production planning (manufacturing companies) or to quality control of processes (service companies) and studies are sporadically extended with the additional matrices that lead to analyze other factors such as costs, etc. This will change in the very near future, trying to achieve a better position in the market, as greater competitiveness is required, looking for strategic aspects that allow it to be achieved or that is easily disclosed and reaches SMEs.
FOCUSED MODEL: (Applicable to Manufacturing and Services)
PHASE I. PLANNING MATRIX or HOQ CONCEPTION. It goes from the Customer's requirements to quality characteristics. (H = House = house, O = Of = de, Q = Quality = quality).
PHASE II. PARTS DEPLOYMENT MATRIX or QUALITY DESIGN. From quality characteristics to characteristics of {parts or functionality of the service}.
PHASE III. PLANNING OF THE PROCESS / OPERATIONS / QUALITY SERVICE.
It gives characteristics of parts or service activities and critical process or service parameters, establishes its objective values.
PHASE IV. PLANNING OF PRODUCTION or QUALITY CONTROL OF PROCESS SERVICES. It gives parameters and production / service requirements to control the process.
Sequence of Steps to Build "THE HOUSE OF QUALITY".
STEP 1. Understanding the problem. Expressed through goal setting. A list of Customer Requirements or Voice of the Customer or QUE's is prepared (located in the part on the extreme left of the diagram) indicating what must be met in the development of a product or service. If it is IMPOSSIBLE to have the presence of the Client, a true market study is necessary, together with the information collected by Sales and Marketing (avoiding falling into establishing "what I suppose" and trying to indicate objectively "what the Clients have requested or commented that they require or claimed or demanding the fulfillment of guarantees or that they have commented in interviews or surveys ”). Normally the concepts listed in this first level are generic,vague and difficult to implement and require a more detailed definition. Some categories of primary needs may be derived from the Kano Model. Great contact should always be sought with the Client, information should be obtained first hand.
Some of the characteristics that the Client frequently comments on are: Robustness, Durability, Capacity, Appearance, Performance, Lower Costs -without establishing a specific quantity-, Improve Functionality -without specifically clarifying what points-, Quality and Reliability Characteristics -qualitatively -, Standardization and Interchangeability of parts with other Brands, Operation under any circumstance and place, Better Yields, shorter delivery times, etc.
Care must be taken that each need expresses a single affirmative idea. One must seek to combine all the specific needs. Group them if the list is very large and prioritize them with the help of an Affinity Diagram. With this, the Customer's comments are converted into simple data that have a clear meaning (being able to reach the 3rd level when the list is too large). When grouped into different sets, the unique and simple concepts are assigned to each set a title (with which a 2nd level is established and the list can be compacted) that describes them in a generic but clearer way.
These titles are regrouped into categories similar to each other to further reduce the list and make it manageable and concrete, but that allows viewing all the requirements. You should be able to answer all of them, assigning new descriptive titles to the 1st level of the Affinity Diagram. Classification numbers are assigned for each level and levels are organized in a Customer Needs Matrix. Next, the 1st level titles must be evaluated according to their importance for the Client. It must be defined what type of Client or Sector of the market the product or service is going to focus on.
It is important to have a market segmentation and within each segment, the levels of consumption of Clients, seeking to mainly serve the most important sector for the company (the 20% most profitable or 80% of the total market or some other criteria depending on the interests and company objective).
STEP 2. Establish the Planning Matrix. (Part of the extreme left of the diagram). The purpose of this matrix is to compare how well the interdisciplinary group has understood the Client's requirements and how well they know the competition.
The multidisciplinary group should ask themselves questions such as: How important is this need for the Client? How well do we currently meet this need? How is the competition doing it? What level do you want to go to meet the need? How much time and resources are required to satisfy this need? If needs are met, how much more will the product or service sell?
All the QUE's are important but it is necessary to prioritize them, both what the Client wants and what the competition offers. This can be achieved using an arbitrary scale and reach a simple and straightforward consensus that takes into account and satisfies all the participants in the group. One of the following types of weighting is chosen:
Absolute Importance: Each need is ranked on a scale of: 1 to 5 (with 1 = least important, 5 = most important).
Weighted Importance: The need is ranked among: 1, 3 or 9.
Relative Importance: Each need is ranked on a scale of 1 to 10. Ordinal Importance: Rank in order of importance. If the Client has 20 needs, 20 is established as the most important and it goes down the scale until reaching the least important, valued as 1.
The best weight is the one that best suits the criteria of the multidisciplinary group that is use.
Other aspects that must be analyzed are:
Current Performance in Customer Satisfaction: How are Customer's needs currently met? It is important to use the same scale previously selected for the QUE's.
Competition Performance: How does the competition currently meet Customer requirements? The most convenient thing is to have a consensus of the Clients, if it is not feasible to obtain it through a market study or, alternatively, by the information obtained from the Commercial Area of the company itself.
The Goal: Balancing the interests of all areas of the multidisciplinary group and agreeing is established by common agreement.
Improvement Ratio: It is the ratio of the Goal and the Current Performance. Establishing the degree of difficulty in achieving the Goal based on a scale such as (or similar): 1.0 = Little Difficulty 1.2 = Moderate Difficulty
1.5 = High
Point of Sale Difficulty: Once the Goal has been reached in terms of the Customer's need you get enough advantage to increase sales? The scale to be used would be (or similar, equivalent to the one used in the previous concept):
1.0 = No Advantage 1.2 = Average Advantage 1.5 = Strong Advantage
Importance for the Client: It is necessary to have an idea of how the Client visualizes the previous aspects for which it is determined:
Weighted Weight = (Improvement Ratio x Point of Sale) / (Difficulty in achieving Improvement)
Normalized Weight = Weighted Weight / (Sum of Weighted Individual Weights)
What is sought with these operations is to simply obtain a priority analysis to focus the few available resources on the most critical needs (Pareto: 80/20).
Each of these tables / matrices can be expanded as much as required for each particular case. Which is done based on the product or service in question or requires analysis to obtain the information required by the company. In other words, the tables are exemplary and not limiting at any time.
STEP 3. Technical Requirements. Definition of Product Design Features. After prioritizing all QUE's or Customer's requirements, they must be translated into particular specifications. Nothing can be produced efficiently, nor can it be serviced or maintained without detailed specifications or without a clearly stated set of standards. Each required aspect must be perfectly defined: Dimensions, specified torque, target weights, etc. These values can be obtained from different sources, such as market studies, information collected by Marketing or Sales, analysis of what the competition offers, etc.
Additionally, regulatory norms and standards (local or international if applicable to the specific case), as well as internal policies must be identified. Once all the requirements have been identified, it is important to answer: What must be done to ensure that the product design satisfies the necessary requirements?
In other words, having prioritized all the QUE's, a broad list of what needs to be done for the product to satisfy all the requirements expressed above must be determined, that is: How to do it? For which it is necessary to do the following:
3.1. Define the Client's requirements or needs.
3.2. Brainstorm of potential characteristics. It should be established how to evaluate the characteristics:
Relevant does it really help in achieving the Customer requirement?
Controllable can you control it?
Measurable, can it be measured?
Generic can it be applied to different design concepts?
Proactive can it be measured before the final product is delivered?
Practical: is measurement easy, fast, economical?
3.3. Consolidate characteristics making the list as complete in critical aspects.
3.4. With the remaining ideas, it is necessary to consider whether it is possible to obtain these
characteristics within adequate limits. Will the Client be satisfied?
3.5. If the answer to the previous question is YES; it concludes; If it is NO, you must
go back to point 3.2 above until you reach Yes, from this point.
3.6. It is suggested that the list does not exceed 35 characteristics. The use of forgotten effects research application is recommended, see:
www.revistadyo.com/index.php/dyo/article/viewFile/191/191
It is necessary to establish the interrelation of the improvement using:
Directorate of Improvement of the Technical Characteristics of Design: It serves to establish if it improves with increasing the specific characteristic or if it improves with decreasing or if it works better if it is in the value of the expected objective.
STEP 4. Definition of the Relationship between Customer Needs and Product Design Characteristics. The main function of the Correlation Matrix is to establish a connection between what the Client requires to have the
product and measurement of design behavior to improve product. This correlation matrix is located in the central part of the house and the Client's or QUE's requirements on the extreme left. From this STEP, the company can begin to formulate a strategy to improve its product. The strengths and weaknesses are weighed against the Client's priorities, to determine which aspects need to be changed to outperform the competition, which others to change to match the competition and which more should be left unchanged. It seeks to achieve an optimal combination. All this will be seen more clearly in the attached examples and will allow a very simple visualization.
Knowing what improvements need to be made, the performance measurement is generated and displayed at the top of the correlation matrix. The matrix will have at least one measurement of the behavior of each quality demand.
After establishing the basic matrix, it is necessary to assign relationships between Customer requirements and behavioral measures. These relationships are represented by symbols.
We will use the Weighted Importance scale (from STEP 2) to emphasize the importance of the values. When there is no obvious relationship, the corresponding space is left blank. The Correlation matrix must follow the Pareto Principle, 80% of the Client's requirements must be covered taking into account 20% of the critical aspects of the design.
Since there are different levels of correlation between the QUE's and the HOW's, symbols are used to identify the significance. Which gives a quick overview of whether the COMO's adequately cover the QUE's. The absence of symbols or a vast majority of WEAK relationship symbols, is indicative that some Customer requirements or QUE's are not listed -STEP 1- or are indicative of a WEAK relationship with the control characteristics of the final product -STEP 2- and therefore the design has a very low probability of meeting the Customer's requirements or expectations.
If the predominant symbols are STRONG Relationships, it is indicative that ALL the essential characteristics are being taken into account to satisfy the Client and this may also cause unnecessary efforts, since what should be sought is the optimal one based on Value Engineering. Remembering that VALUE = FUNCTIONALITY / COST.
CONFLICT relationships must be identified and the design optimized to meet Customer expectations.
STEP 5. Calculation of Priorities. This calculation interrelates the Client's needs and its importance for internal characteristics. Priority Number = Ratio Values x Weighted Weight For each Technical characteristic:
Priority Number in Relative percentage =% of Priority / Total
STEP 6. Technical Correlation Matrix (Upper triangle = Roof of the house). Performance measurements in existing designs can often
conflict with each other.
The technical correlation matrix is used to help in the development of the relationships between the Customer's requirements and the product's requirements and identifies where these units should work together, since otherwise a conflict in the design may arise.
The symbols that are used to represent the type of impact that each requirement has with respect to the other are entered in the cells where a correlation has been identified. The objective is to highlight any requirement that may conflict with any other.
Any cell identified with a strong correlation is a signal of high importance for the multidisciplinary group, this causes the need for greater communication and coordination if any change has to take place. If there is a moderately negative or strongly negative impact between requirements, the design is compromised unless the negative impact can be removed or removed from the design.
Some conflicts may not be resolved because they are a physical problem. Still others may be interrelated in its design, causing the multidisciplinary group to decide how to solve it.
Negative impacts can represent restrictions, which can be bidirectional. It may happen that improving one of them can have a negative impact on the other. Sometimes an identified change affects many others that it is preferable to avoid it. It is recommended to ask the multidisciplinary group at this stage: If requirement X is improved, will it help or hinder technical requirement Z?
Many technical requirements are related to each other, so working on improving one of them can help another interrelated requirement and a positive or beneficial effect may result. On the other hand, working to improve a requirement can negatively affect an interrelated requirement as indicated above.
One of the main benefits of the ceiling is to immediately show the negative interrelationships so that they are resolved. If these issues are not satisfactorily resolved, some aspects of the final product will be unsatisfactory for the Customer.
The triangular matrix identifies which HOWTOs are contained in other HOWTOs and which are in conflict with each other. The latter require detailed analysis since they may be exclusive, or it is one or the other. Conflicts that are not identified and resolved; will lead to non-compliance with requirements. Detecting them from the start will reduce or prevent the project from unnecessarily lengthening, avoiding non-productive actions in the search for non-existent solutions.
STEP 7. Technical Specifications of the Company and the Competition in Relation to the Design Requirements. The technical specifications take into account specific points to record the priorities assigned to each of the technical requirements. This also provides
the technical behavior achieved by products from the Competition and the degree of difficulty in developing each requirement.
The final output of the matrix is a set of target values for each technical requirement to be met by the new design. In some cases, organizations are unable to achieve the optimal design due to cost, technology, or other related constraints.
For each requirement or design feature, the Company's current specification is determined. At the same time, the specification established by each Competitor is determined. Based on the above, a Design Specification Goal is established, based on the calculated priorities and the costs that will result.
STEP 8. Setting design goals and Benchmarks. Customer requirements are deployed from one end to the other of the interrelationships to quality characteristics. This gives a prioritized organization of quality characteristics. High priority quality features usually indicate that working on these technical issues will give the Customer greater added value.
A quality feature with high weight indicates strong relationships with parts that demand high quality priority.
A company with current products can take as a technical reference point, the products of competitors with high quality priority characteristics.
In many cases, companies shouldn't be surprised to find that competitors are better off on a specific activity or feature.
QFD helps companies identify technical opportunity areas and develop areas where the highest cost effectiveness can be achieved to achieve Customer satisfaction.
All competing products should be considered.
Importance weights for listed requirements and competitive assessments for existing products are displayed.
The weights of the Client of greater interest and higher expectations expressed as the QUE's allow prioritizing those areas of the product that require improvement.
Here you get how our product is seen by the Customer and our relationship with the competition. The key points are the STRONG (our strengths) and the WEAK (our weaknesses against the competition) of our product in the market.
We must improve our weaknesses by equaling the competition as a minimum or improve depending on the priority the Client gives to the concept. All the information is basically obtained from Sales and Marketing.
STEP 9. Interpretation of Information. Final report. Recommendations. It is the summary of all the information, its interpretation in an executive summary for those who are not familiar with this methodology, clearly indicating the conclusions and recommendations. With this, the first phase will be completed and you can move on to phase 2, Deployment of Parts.
How to implement QFD.
The QFD must be implemented in a systematic and orderly manner. Five basic steps for its implementation are suggested:
1. Form the multidisciplinary team and select the coordinator.
The nature of the study will be the basis for the composition of the project team:
Is the objective to improve an existing product or service or to develop a new one?
Team members must commit to giving as much time as necessary and having the support of their managers. They must fully understand the purpose of the team and their individual roles in the team. They must be very participatory and open-minded. A coordinator must be selected by consensus.
2. Plan the development of the study.
The multidisciplinary team needs to be clear on the following:
What will be controlled? How will it be controlled? How often will it be monitored?
The team's mission will determine what to control. For example, if the team has a mission to improve a service, the progress made in identifying improvements and developing plans to make them is what they should monitor. Any type of report to the Management, oral or written, can be used depending on the company.
The frequency with which these should be done is a matter of judgment and urgency. However, experience has shown that once a week can be very frequent and once a month too distant. A report every two to three weeks would be more appropriate.
There are no rigid rules. What works well with one team may not work well with another.
3. Select a project.
It is a good idea to start with an improvement project and not with a project to develop a new product or service. Improvement projects have the advantage of having existing information and some experience. A new QFD team involved with a new service may present a high level of complexity due to the lack of experience of both the multidisciplinary team and their respective area managers.
With an improvement project, team members who are not familiar with QFD will at least be familiar with the service or product and with the Customer information associated with the service or product in question. This familiarity prevents a situation from developing where team members are trying to learn about QFD and a new service simultaneously, creating high complexity.
4. Hold the “
kick-off meeting ” The kick-off meeting is the first official team meeting. It is important to accomplish the following tasks during this meeting:
All participants understand the mission of the project team. The problem and the full scope of the project.
All team members understand their role in the team as well as the roles of the other team members.
Establish the rules of the game for team meetings (duration, time and frequency of the meeting). 5. Train the team
Before starting the team work, it is important to train all team members in the fundamentals of the QFD. Team members must learn to use the various tools as well as specific tools such as Affinity Diagrams, Tree Diagrams, Matrix Diagrams, etc.
Selection of the most used tools in QFD
An excellent guide for the selection of tools according to the different stages of the QFD is the one published by the Latin American Association of QFD on its website.
Blitz QFD
Allows you to align resources with the real or critical needs of the Client, it is a very practical tool that does not require software or specific tools to offer results.
The Blitz QFD consists of 7 steps:
(1) Get the Voice of the Customer. This implies "going to the scene, going to where the action is"; Voice of Customer cannot be heard remotely. It is necessary to visit, ask, come back and ask again until the verbalization of what the Client requires is clearly understood.
(2) Classify the Verbalizations. The objective of this step is to classify the verbalizations by related topics. There are "similar, complementary and opposing Customer voices." When classifying verbalizations, patterns are sought that allow understanding the Client's needs. This is a qualitative study. At this stage, the statistics on “the number of verbalizations of each type” are not interesting, but rather classifying the verbalizations in order to obtain from them the real needs of the Client.
(3) Structure the Client's Needs. Once the verbalizations have been classified, the needs of the Clients are obtained from them. Some are explicit and very clear; others are implicit and some may even seem absurd to us (Most likely, we are not correctly understanding the Client's need and must be clarified in other words). It is vital to remember that you are looking for the Client's real or critical needs, not "our version of the Client's needs."
(4) Analyze the Structure of Customer Needs. There are needs that have dependency relationships. It should be verified if there is a second hierarchical relationship (I need X to achieve Y), to complement the Client's needs and give more options to the possible solution that best satisfies the Client. In many occasions, solving Need Z goes against Need A. In the QFD, the needs of the highest hierarchy are of interest, since they are the ones that have the most impact (positive or negative), they have on Clients.
(5) Prioritize the Client's Needs. This implies establishing which needs are most important to Clients. The best way to do this, once the needs have been identified and stratified, is to ask Clients directly through a survey.
(6) Deploy Prioritized Needs. Once the prioritized needs of the Clients have been identified, they must identify which parameters, processes or elements of the system contribute most to meeting (or not meeting) these needs. To improve, you should always focus on everything that most affects priority needs.
(7) Analyze only the priority relationships in detail. When evaluating the product or service under study, the most important points are those that impact the priority needs. This is where resources should be focused, since the quality level of products and services will be determined by the extent to which the value of the resources is aligned with the priority of the needs of the Clients.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Bossert JL Quality function deployment. ASQC Quality Press 1991
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