A Concurrent Function Deployment Process for Product Life-cycle Management

In this paper, an alternate framework for deployment called Concurrent Function Deployment (CFD) for managing a product's life-cycle process is described. The framework considers parallel deployment of several value characteristics as opposed to a single value such as Quality. The American Supplier Institute's (ASI's) quality function deployment (QFD) concept [Sullivan, 1988] is a typical case of a conventional four-phased deployment process, where quality is the prime consideration for deploying life cycle functions. CFD is not based on using a single measurement, such as " Quality " as in ASI's QFD. (delivery) are considered simultaneously in CFD rather than serially in QFD. Three-dimensional Value Characteristics Matrices (VCM) are employed to ensure that both the company and the customers' goals are optimally met. In the present setting, ASI's deployment scenario emerges as a special case of Concurrent Function Deployment. CFD enables the planners and strategic decision-makers-early-on during a design process-to deal with tradeoffs among the crucial factors of artifact values.