Quality Functional Deployment (QFD)
QFD is a systematic process for motivating a business to focus on
its customers. This is used mostly by cross-functional teams to identify
and resolve issues involved in providing products, processes, services
and strategies, which will more than satisfy their customers.
A prerequisite to QFD is Market Research. This is the process of understanding
what the customer wants, how important these benefits are, and how well
different providers of products that address these benefits are perceived
to perform. This is a prerequisite to QFD because it is impossible to
consistently provide products, which will attract customers unless you
have a very good understanding of what they want.
Developed by Dr. Shigeru Mizuno and Dr. Yoji Akao in Japan, The QFD
utilizes the Seven (7) Management and
Planning Tools.
When Should You Use QFD?
QFD uses a series of matrices to document information collected and
developed and represent the team's plan for a product. The QFD methodology
is based on a systems engineering approach consisting of the following
general steps:
- Derive top-level product requirements or technical characteristics
from customer needs (Product Planning Matrix).
- Develop product concepts to satisfy these requirements.
- Evaluate product concepts to select the optimum choice (Concept
Selection Matrix).
- Partition system concept or architecture into subsystems or assemblies
and flow-down higher- level requirements or technical characteristics
to these subsystems or assemblies.
- Derive lower-level product requirements (assembly or part characteristics)
and specifications from subsystem/assembly requirements (Assembly/Part
Deployment Matrix).
- For critical assemblies or parts, flow-down lower-level product
requirements (assembly or part characteristics) to process planning.
- Determine manufacturing process steps to meet these assembly or
part characteristics.
- Based in these process steps, determine set-up requirements, process
controls and quality controls to assure achievement of these critical
assembly or part characteristics.
A tutorial on how to construct a QFD is accessible at the “House
of Quality” web page.
Tips for QFD Practitioners
The following advice is based upon the experience gained in QFD case
studies carried out by Research Group at the University of Sheffield
and also draws on the work of Bob Hales who has suggested adaptations
to QFD techniques to make it more compatible with U.S. business culture.
This advice is important in overcoming three (3) types of drawback
commonly encountered in QFD applications which are detailed in the table
below:
| Type of Problem |
Implications |
| Misinterpretation |
Misunderstanding the correct QFD techniques, e.g.,
mixing technical measures with customer requirements, use of unsorted
data and interpreting the "Four-Phase Model" as serial
product development. |
| Time and resource constraints |
QFD can demand significant initial investment in
training, project facilitation and market research. Its use of a
team of key functional representatives makes high demands on stretched
personnel resources. Building large, complex charts can make a QFD
project very time-consuming. In some cases, personnel have been
unwilling to repeat the use of QFD due to the high demands of the
process. |
| Culture clash |
QFD is based upon Japanese management practices,
and so the characteristics of Western management can limit the effectiveness
of its techniques. Symptoms of this conflict include poor internal
communications particularly between functions, problems building
consensus in the QFD team and low team or management commitment
to the process. |
The widespread application of QFD in the U.S. and the achievements
of these projects illustrate that the techniques are a valuable resource
for Western organizations. The potential benefits for UK users are significant,
but they need to use a flexible approach to both adapting and applying
QFD tools. The key to successful QFD implementation in the UK is to
account for the characteristics of our organizations and attempt to
minimize the obstacles to initial applications.
The table below offers a list of practical advice for embarking upon
a programme of QFD application:
Limit demands on company resources
|
The use of a small QFD team reduces the threat to business cultures
where formal teamwork is unknown and will facilitate discussions
and achieving consensus. Efforts should also be made to limit the
number and length of meetings. Alternatively, an individual can
build QFD matrices using information gathered in separate interviews.
In this case, care must be taken in ensuring similar definitions
are understood by all participants, and in interpreting and combining
the data in the matrix. |
| Selection of team members |
The choice of QFD team members is fundamental to a project's success.
The selection should include the most positive personnel with the
closest links with customers. The correct choice will facilitate
open discussions, the resolution of conflicts and encourage team
commitment to the project. |
| Recognition of senior management |
The involvement of senior management in the formulation of a QFD
project is important in gaining their commitment to the process
and in providing incentives for personnel participation. |
| Intuitive checks |
The results at each stage of a QFD project should be compared
with the intuitive views of the team members. Where a divergence
is noted, analysis can be directed at identifying the factors responsible.
The appropriate changes can then be made to the matrices or the
perceptions of the team. |
| A flexible approach |
Care must be taken to adapt the approach used to apply the QFD
project to the circumstances of the organization. e.g. realistic
objectives chosen, format of team and meetings, type and complexity
of tools used. |
| Limit the functional or hierarchical
conflicts in the QFD team |
For an initial QFD implementation, functional or hierarchical
barriers within the team should be limited to minimize disruptive
conflicts. As experience is gained and the techniques are accepted
then more sensitive barriers can be challenged. |
| Conflict avoidance |
The selection of team members can reduce the negative aspects
of conflict in discussions. Another approach is for the team to
list all the issues relating to contentious matrix relationship
and assign weightings to each of these before producing an overall
weighting. This divides a difficult discussion into logical steps
and helps to separate the individuals from the issues being considered.
|
| Use small matrices |
Limiting the size of matrices to eight by eight-key requirements
helps avoid complexity, focuses the team on the most important issues
and reduces the pressure on resources. |
| Use sensitive market surveys |
Be aware of the commercial sensitivity of the information demanded
in a standard QFD project. For instance, customers may not be willing
to report on the performance of competitive products and will have
a low opinion of a company demanding such information. |
| Document issues raised |
Record the issues raised during discussions on each matrix interrelationship.
At a later date, the weighting can be justified drawing upon the
original reasoning. |
| Identify key relationships |
When completing the interrelationship
matrix, initially highlight the key relationships that have
the greatest impact on customer satisfaction. Then focus discussions
on establishing the issues relevant to these, rather than a time-consuming
consideration of every matrix cell. |
| Recognition of participants |
Appropriate incentives must be used to encourage participation.
The team should be credited with the achievements of the project
on individual and group levels. |
The main lesson for would-be QFD practitioners is to take a realistic
approach and develop their own unique QFD system that is appropriate
to the characteristics of their own organization and cultural background,
rather than attempt to rigorously apply QFD as described in textbooks.
Sources:
http://www.qfdi.org/
http://www.gsm.mq.edu.au/cmit/hoq/QFDTutorial_Exercise.htm
