Ranking Customer Requirements in QFD by Factoring in Their Interrelationship Values

Abstract

Quality function deployment (QFD) is a methodology used to achieve higher customer satisfaction. The engineering characteristics (ECs) affecting product performance are designed to match the customer requirements (CRs). Computing raw weights of CRs and priority scores of ECs from various input variables is one of the most critical phases in QFD application. This study deals with the most neglected and often-omitted part of the QFD process—the interrelationship matrix among customer requirements. This article presents a mathematical solution to the correlation triangle problem that incorporates both CRs and ECs. An attempt is made to address the issue by considering the impact of these interrelationships on the overall calculations, using weighted average method for the CR interrelationship value operator in order to prioritize customers' requirements in QFD. The outcome of the study is a mathematical solution to the perennial correlation triangle problem in the form of a framework that factors in the correlation triangle values in conjunction with computed raw weights for customer requirements. The model fine tunes and adds precision to an otherwise qualitative strategic decision process. The applicability of the authors' proposed model is demonstrated with a real-life example.

• customer requirements
• interrelationship values
• prioritization
• QFD

Additional information

Notes on contributors

J. R. Sharma

J. R. Sharma is assistant professor at the Institute of Management Technology, Nagpur. Before joining this organization, he served as senior faculty in the Department of Production and Mechanical Engineering, Manoharbhai Patel Institute of Engineering and Technology (MIET), Gondia, India. He is pursuing his doctoral research at the National Institute of Technology, Raipur. His research interests are in the areas of quality management and product development. Sharma has more than 20 research papers published in various national and international conferences, technical periodicals, and journals. He has the honor of reviewing papers for several international and national journals including Elsevier's European Journal of Operations Research. He can be reached by e-mail at [email protected].

A. M. Rawani

A. M. Rawani is professor and head of the Department of Mechanical Engineering, National Institute of Technology, Raipur, India. He has more than 23 years of experience in academics. He acquired his doctorate from IIT-Delhi. He has pursued his research in the area of strategic management. Rawani has done commendable work in research and has more than 35 publications in national and international journals to his credit. He has been a nominated member of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) — HR & Training Program Panel. He can be reached by e-mail at [email protected].