Mastering Quality Function Deployment (QFD)

Last Updated on 15 September 2023

As we continue our journey together through the world of Six Sigma and Lean methodologies, it’s time we delve into yet another powerful tool: Quality Function Deployment (QFD). It’s a stellar technique that aids you in designing products and services to meet your customer’s needs, essentially becoming a bridge between customer requirements and product specifications.

What is QFD?

For those of us just stepping into the dojo, QFD, sometimes known as the “House of Quality,” provides a systematic approach to design-based (or process-based) quality and strategic improvement. QFD helps transform customer needs (the ‘voice of the customer’) into technical requirements for products. Simply put, it’s about designing a product right the first time by focusing on what the customer wants and needs.

Why is QFD Important?

QFD eliminates the gap between what the customer desires in a product and what the product actually does. By utilizing QFD, businesses can increase customer satisfaction and loyalty, reduce development time and costs, and improve communication and documentation.

Steps for Implementing QFD

Incorporating QFD into your Six Sigma journey involves four key steps.

1. Identify Customer Requirements: These can be collected through surveys, interviews, or observation. Think of it in terms of ‘inputs’.
2. Translate Customer Requirements into Product Characteristics: How does each customer requirement translate into a specific, measurable characteristic of your product?
3. Relate Product Characteristics to Each Other: Understand how each characteristic impacts each other. This forms the “roof” of the House of Quality.
4. Develop an Importance Rating: Prioritize the characteristics based on their significance.

Moving Forward with QFD

Understanding and implementing QFD in your projects is akin to developing a powerful new move in your Six Sigma Ninja arsenal. It promotes detailed exploration of the design space, leading to innovative solutions and, ultimately, excellent customer satisfaction.

Remember, six sigmas aren’t just about reducing process variation and improving quality; it’s about ensuring our products/services align with the actual needs and wants of the customers. In that regard, QFD is an indispensable tool in your Six Sigma journey.