8.1.2 Requirements Risk Assessment ‐ Integrating QFD and Risk Assessment

Abstract

AbstractA modified Quality Function Deployment (QFD) analysis [Hauser and Clausing, 1988] was applied to evaluate development risk for user requirements across multiple system architectures. Applying QFD to the risk assessments required tailoring the approach to capture and quantify subjective risk judgments and to reconcile them with raw risk assessment data from specific designs. Initial evaluation of development risk from each architecture showed that overall risk reduction activities were acceptable as planned. Risk assessments were also conducted on updated designs using the QFD assessment to confirm validity of the final risk reduction plans.This method extends previous work by Clausing and Cohen [1999], which described the use of QFD to capture requirements relationships, and U.S. Air Force guidance [AFMC, 1977], which describes methods for risk evaluation. It allows capture of the strength of relationship between user requirements and development risk early in a program by use of conceptual system architectures. This permits early evaluation of the trade offs between user requirements and risk mitigation efforts prior to committing a program to a functional baseline is established for user requirements and the design solution.