Page 355 - Six Sigma Demystified

Part 3 S i x S i g m a To o l S 335

Quality Function Deployment

Quality function deployment (QFD) is a detailed methodology for linking cus-
tomer requirements with internal process and product requirements.

When to Use

Analyze Stage and Improve Stage
• To understand how customer requirements are translated into internal
process and product requirements

Methodology

There are four distinct stages of a proper QFD. In service organizations, the
QFD can be focused on the last two stages—ensuring that processes are de-
signed and controlled to meet customer requirements (customer req.).
In the design stage, customer requirements (the whats) are translated into
design requirements (design req.—the hows). In this way, the product planning
matrix provides a means of ensuring that each customer requirement is satisfied
through one or more design elements. See Figure F.33.
The customer requirements next are translated into part characteristics in

Figure F.33 QFD stages with associated matrices.