Title: 1.3 The Voice of the Customer Lesson
Course: ATEP - MMT: Module A: > Section: PHASE 1 CLARIFY THE PROBLEM: SPECIFICATIONS AND CONSTRAINTS

1.3.1 The Voice of the Customer

The fundamental purpose of design is to provide value to the end user. However, what customers perceive as value is unique to every customer. Fortunately, there is a tool to help identify value to the customer.  Known as Quality Function Deployment (QFD), it is frequently referred to as the "Voice of the Customer."  It is a method where your design team can identify what is important to the customer. The team, through research, customer interview and review of existing competitors' products,  can identify what is really important. The ability to identify measurable quantities that represent something of value to the customer is key to the QFD methodology.

The QFD tools will help the design team

- identify features that are important to the customer.
- prioritize what is important that customers value.
- quantify what is important to the customers.
- compare and contrast competitors product features.
- identify combination of features that can be used to be more competitive than their competitors.

1.3.2 Quality Function Deployment

Quality function deployment is when you identify the items of value to the customer.  As explained before, focus groups and surveys are a good way to obtain this information.  However, it is a good idea to think about the way you ask questions with both of these methods.  It is possible to sway the answers by how a question is phrased. Make sure the questions are written and that you do not deviate from the wording during a survey.
A example of some things that might be important to an end user is shown below.

Product :

What is it called and what problem does it solve?

Form — Aesthetics

How important is the look and feel of the product?

What color scheme is desired by the client?

What is the surface finish?

Function — How it works what must the product must do

What is the acceptable weight?

How durable is it?

How heavy a load will it carry?

Fit — How the components are put together

What are the tolerances that are need so the product can be assembled?

How easily can the product be disassembled for recycling and reuse?

1.3.3 House of Quality Tool

The "House of Quality" is one tool used with Quality Function Deployment.  As shown here, it is a planning matrix that resembles a house and is used for defining the relationship between the customer desires and the company/product capabilities.  It is used as a part of  Quality Function Deployment (QFD) and it utilizes a matrix to relate what the customer wants to how the company that produces the product is going to meet those wants. It is based on "the belief that products should be designed to reflect customers' desires and tastes." It also helps to  increase coordination  between marketing, engineering and manufacturing.

The basic structure is a table with "What is" as the labels on the left and "How is" across the top. The roof is a diagonal matrix of "How is vs. How is" and the body of the house is a matrix of  "What is vs. How is."  Both of these matrices are filled with indicators of whether the interaction of the specific item is a strong positive, a strong negative, or somewhere in between. Additional information on the right side and bottom hold the "Why is"  from market research and the "How Much is." Rankings based on the Why's and the How's can be used to calculate priorities.

Other tools compare quality to cost,^ function, parts, reliability, technology, manufacturing, and service.

1.3.4 Voice of the Customer Assignment

Read the article "Defining the Product Specification s by Customer Needs" in the resources area.   Answer the questions in the "Product specifications by customer need — article  Assignment" area.  Use your word processor for the answers and upload the file to your instructor.