Next Generation Qfd: Decision-based Product Attribute Function Deployment

The critical product planning phase, early in the product development cycle, requires a design tool to set engineering priorities, capable of selecting the preferred design concept and setting target levels of engineering performance to guide the later product development stages, while considering the needs of both the consumer and producer. The Quality Function Deployment (QFD) method was developed to transfer customer needs into engineering characteristics; however, limitations have been identified in using QFD, which can result in irrational and unrealistic results when used to set engineering priorities and target levels of product performance. In this paper, based on the principles of Decision-Based Design (DBD), a new design tool called the Product Attribute Function Deployment (PAFD) is demonstrated as a decision-theoretic, enterprise-wide process tool to guide the conceptual design phase. The PAFD method extends the qualitative matrix principles of QFD while utilizing the quantitative decision making processes of DBD to create a new process specifically for translating qualitative customer needs into quantitative engineering attributes and making early product design decisions. It is built upon established methods in engineering, marketing, and decision analysis to eliminate the need for subjective user ratings. In addition, the technical attributes considered are expanded beyond those typically considered to include requirements from the producer and regulators. The differences between QFD and PAFD are compared and the conceptual design of an automotive Manifold Absolute Pressure sensor is used to demonstrate the benefits of the PAFD method.