Quality function deployment
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Quality function deployment (QFD) is a “method to transform user demands into design quality, to deploy the functions forming quality, and to deploy methods for achieving the design quality into subsystems and component parts, and ultimately to specific elements of the manufacturing process.” [1], as described by Dr. Yoji Akao, who originally developed QFD in Japan in 1966, when the author combined his work in quality assurance and quality control points with function deployment used in Value Engineering.
Other tools extend the analysis beyond quality to cost, technology, reliability, function, parts, technology, manufacturing, and service deployments.
In addition, the same technique can extend the method into the constituent product subsystems, configuration items, assemblies, and parts. From these detail level components, fabrication and assembly process QFD charts can be developed to support statistical process control techniques.
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[edit] Pugh concept selection
Pugh Concept Selection can be used in coordination with QFD to select a promising product or service configuration from among listed alternatives.
[edit] Modular Function Deployment
Modular Function Deployment uses QFD to establish customer requirements and to identify important design requirements with a special emphasis on modularity.
[edit] Relationship to other techniques
The QFD-associated "Hoshin Kanri" process somewhat resembles Management by objectives (MBO), but adds a significant element in the goal setting process, called "catchball". Use of these Hoshin techniques by U.S. companies such as Hewlett Packard have been successful in focusing and aligning company resources to follow stated strategic goals throughout an organizational hierarchy.
Since the early introduction of QFD, the technique has been developed to shorten the time span and reduce the required group efforts (such as Richard Zultner's Blitz QFD).
[edit] Notes and references
- ^ Akao, Yoji. "Development History of Quality Function Deployment". The Customer Driven Approach to Quality Planning and Deployment. Minato, Tokyo 107 Japan: Asian Productivity Organization. pp. 339. ISBN 92-833-1121-3.
- Lou Cohen. 1995. Quality Function Deployment. Prentice Hall PTR, ISBN 0201633302.
- QFD Designer - IDEACore LLC
