A Quality Function Deployment Method Pattern Language for EfficientDesign
Year: 2009
Editor: Norell Bergendahl, M.; Grimheden, M.; Leifer, L.; Skogstad, P.; Lindemann, U.
Author: Rogers, Damian; Salustri, Filippo Arnaldo
Series: ICED
Section: Design Methods and Tools
Page(s): 109-120
Abstract
Quality Function Deployment (QFD) is widely used throughout design processes to increase customer satisfaction. However, the method is sometimes not clearly understood and is at times confusing in its approach. Pattern languages, on the other hand, are used for ease of understanding and to convey information to those with little background on some topic. One might then consider the merits of creating a pattern language for QFD, to increase both understanding of the method and its usage in everyday design processes. In order to carry out this endeavor, the authors explore current quality function deployment methods and offer their own form of the process to solve some of the inconsistencies between current methods and to better suit the creation of the pattern language. A pattern language for quality function deployment method was then created and described in the paper, as well as examples of two specific patterns. This shows that the creation of a pattern language is possible, even for a difficult topic like quality function deployment and that it is useful to designers with little or no background in the quality function deployment method.
Keywords: Quality Function Deployment, Product Design, Pattern Language