Quality Function Deployment (QFD): Definitions, History and Models

Abstract

In this chapter the basic concepts of Quality Function Deployment are presented together with the context in which the method can be applied. In more detail, following a 5Ws 1H scheme, Where, What, Who, When, Why, How (5W1H), there are some basic questions to be answered: Where can QFD be applied? What is QFD? Who is involved? When was QFD invented? What is QFD history? How is it built? Are there any reference models? What are the strengths and weaknesses of Quality Function Deployment in today’s research? Can QFD help creative, new product development? What is the QFD framework suggested in this book? What you will learn in this chapter is primarily the initial context in which this method appears, the New Product Development (NPD) Process, some key definitions, the historical bases and two reference models known as “four phase” and “comprehensive” models. A summary of the main strengths and weaknesses of QFD is then presented. A section is dedicated to the capacity that QFD can have in supporting the development of “creative” products and services. And at the end there is a proposal for a practical framework with a good capacity to cover the different phases of the product development process and sufficiently easy to implement, even when there are limited resources to be allocated, and/or a short development time.