QFD: an interactive algorithm for the prioritization of product's technical design characteristics

The paper is concerned with the problem of the `̀ prioritization’ ’ of technical design characteristic s of a product. An interactive algorithm has been developed with the aim to better support the engineering design process by means of quality function deployment (QFD). The algorithm tries to soften customer approach to QFD in those situations in which customers are not able to give a `̀ significant’ ’ evaluation of the relative importance of their requirements . The method allows determining a ranking order of design characteristic s without the artificia l conversion of symbols contained in the relationshi p matrix, and without the use of explicit information concerning the relative degree of importance of customer requirements. A simple numerical application is also provided. Received October 1999 Revised June 2000 Accepted February 2001 prioritization order of technical characteristics, which does not reflect his own real intentions (see methods based on the analytic hierarchy process (Akao, 1990; Dyer, 1990; Saaty, 1990)). With the aim to better support and facilitate the engineering design process, the paper presents an interactive algorithm, which tries to soften customers’ approach to QFD. More in detail, it allows determining a ranking order of design characteristics without the artificial conversion of symbols contained in the relationship matrix, and without explicitly knowing the relative degree of importance of customer