This symposium was held on September 9-10, 2016 in Boise, Idaho USA.
The symposium papers are available for purchase from this page.

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The Hoshin Express - From Idea to Project

The mission of the Power Generation Division at NextEra Energy is to deliver certainty of operations and maintenance for all it's non-nuclear assets. Exceeding organizational goals are driven by the implementation of quality oriented continuous improvement opportunities that add value.This paper demonstrates the application of Hoshin Kanri - Policy (Priority) Deployment from idea generation to project selection in the central organization of the PGD business unit.
The Hoshin Express - NextEra Energy

Leveraging a systematic method across all fleets in the business unit make it easier to share best practices across the enterprise, provide line-of-sight from high value projects through to business unit strategies, and promote consistency in selecting projects with maximum value in meeting customer needs.

Speaker: Dennis Frankos, QFD Black Belt®, Staff Engineer/Quality Deployment Leader, NextEraEnergy Inc. Power Generation Division, USA    
QFD and the Systems Engineering Way of Working

This presentation will discuss the integration of Modern Blitz QFD ® and Pathfinder, a Systems Engineering (SE) approach developed at Rolls Royce.
Engineering _SE_ approach developed at Rolls Royce
image by wikipedia
Tosaka / Rolls Royce


In addition to the modern QFD tools such as Projects Goals Table, Customer Segment Table, Affinity Diagram, Hierarchy Diagram, AHP, and Maximum Value Table, the flow of Pathfinder tools such as Stakeholder Map / Context and Boundary Diagrams and Viewpoint Analysis are employed. The paper will support the ISO 196355 standard to reference good practice and evidence of usage in industry.

Speaker: Steve Dimelow, QFD Green Belt®, Systems Engineering Specialist, Rolls-Royce plc., United Kingdom
ISO 16355 - Keeping Up with Global Best Practice

In 2009, the QFD Institute was asked to convene an ISO Working Group to write an international standard for QFD. The biggest concern was how to standardize a method that works best when custom-tailored to the new product development (NPD) process of an organization, as well as for its specific products and customers.
 ISO 16355 _ Keeping Up with Global Best Practice

This paper and presentation outlines the structure of the eight parts, how they build on older QFD models from the 1970s and 80s, and what you need to do to become a leader and facilitator of this Modern QFD standard.

NPD professionals will want to master these global best practices so they can engage their organizations in surging ahead of their competitors in creating the truly great products their customers demand.

Speaker: Glenn Mazur, QFD Red Belt®, QFD Institute, International Academy for Quality
Soft Systems Method Integration With Sustainable Energy Systems Development Using ISO 16355
Soft Systems Method Integration With Sustainable Energy Systems Development Using ISO 16355

The Soft Systems Method was developed by Peter Checkland's team at Lancaster University in the 1970s to help analyse complex situations or 'soft problems' where the problem for which a solution is sought is not clearly understood, or for which differences of opinion exist as to the precise nature of the problem.

Such a 'soft problem' exists in the development of sustainable (economic and environmental) energy systems. This paper will illustrate how modern QFD methods described in the 'ISO 16355 standard for QFD' have been used in the UK's Energy Technologies Institute to help in the analysis of the 'soft problem' of transition to low-CO2 energy systems. Illustrations will be given on how these methods can be used to establish system specifications and designs.

Speaker: Dr. Kim Stansfield, QFD Black Belt®,
2016 Akao Prize recipient, Senior Teaching Fellow, Warwick University WMG, United Kingdom 
Using AHP In QFD - The Impact of the New ISO 16355 Standard

Traditional QFD uses ordinal weights-percentages of a total to describe priorities for customer's needs and technical solution approaches. AHP (Analytic Hierarchy Process), on the other hand,  works with profiles-vectors of unit length one, making it mathematically possible to add, subtract and compare profiles.
Using AHP In QFD - The Impact of the New ISO 16355 Standard

AHP has been a part of Modern QFD for some time. In fact, the new ISO 16335 suggests using the ratio scales and profiles in QFD.
However, not understanding how to properly apply AHP in QFD could lead to project failures, especially if you are still using the traditional House of Quality matrix.  AHP is used in many steps in QFD, but this paper and presentation will focus primarily on the House of Quality matrix.

Speaker: Thomas Fehlmann, Ph.D., Senior Consultant, Euro Project Office AG, Switzerland
Early Requirements Validation by Means of Virtual Prototypes for the QFD Use

This presentation begins with the importance of understanding requirements as part of proactive quality management and the need for early requirements validation for product development process. For this, using three dimensional virtual reality (3D VR) early on allows developers to visually illustrate or simulate product features and functions.
Early Requirements Validation by Means of Virtual Prototypes for the QFD Use

The virtual prototypes generated could ascertain the actual areas of consumer interest in connection with an eye tracking system. Then, the unstructured data must be further processed and placed in a contextual analysis. Integrated into the QFD, it is possible to restructure the requirements at an early stage. Based on clear requirement structures, the results of this proactive quality measure can lead to better product quality..

Speaker: Christian Esser, Research Assistant, Unversität Kassel, Germany
Sustainability Function Deployment (QFD) Applied to Increase Environmental and Social Economic Value Added of Products, Service, and Projects

Products and services have the objective to increase quality of life, but in some cases the result is a negative impact to the community (environment, society, economy, and health). This can be especially true in rural communities. Using QFD to integrate socioeconomic life cycle assessment (SLCA) in five projects will demonstrate up to three times the economic value added.

For three projects, information was collected directly in the communities, using focus groups, surveys and investigation. SLCA was then used to understand impact. Finally, critical functions of the projects, products, and services were determined by applying QFD and SFD. Results were examined for social economic return on investment (SEROI) in order to identify functions and characteristics that can maximize economic value added to existing or future projects, products, or services.

Speaker: Juan Manuel García, Founder, LeanRadar Org and Corporate EHS Sustainability, Baxter Corporation, USA
Using The New Kano Model -- How To Really Excite Your Customers

_The New Kano Model -- the concept_ methods_ examples_
Kano model is well known for its intriguing diagram of 'exciting quality' vs. 'expected quality.' However, it is one of the most misunderstood concept.

As one of a few who actually examined the original 1984 research by Noriaki Kano, Ph.D., et.al, the author points out some serious deficiencies in the original Kano model as well as the one commonly practiced in America and elsewhere. He then presents the New Kano Model that offers superior insights on what needs to be done to really build excitements in new product development.

Speaker: Harold M. Ross, QFD Green Belt®, (ret.) General Motors / QFD Institute, USA
A Critical Analysis of Software QFD Publications

Software QFD represents a variant of QFD for developing software products. First applications took place in the late 1970s in Japan and in the late 1980s in the US. More extensive use of Software QFD started in the 1990s and since then many companies (e.g. IBM, Motorola, SAP and Siemens) have reported on the success of their Software QFD implementations. So not surprisingly, a literature review conducted by the authors in 2015 found a total of 176 publications which directly or indirectly address the application of QFD within software development.

In this research, these publications are analyzed with respect to several

 viewpoints:
  • Corresponding type of Software QFD model used (i.e. traditional, comprehensive, focused or dynamic software QFD);
  • reported case study and involved application domain (e.g. business software vs. technical software);
  • form of embedding QFD into the software development process and its relation to project management activities;
  • essential methodological characteristics like the involved stakeholders, the form of teamwork, the rigor of separating needs and solutions, the accuracy of prioritization, and used QFD elements such as customer voice tables, affinity diagrams or quality matrices; and
  • consideration of multidisciplinary issues as well as the possibility of reacting to changing working environments caused by digitalization and industry 4.0.

Based on the findings of this analysis we will give an outlook on the future use of QFD in software development.

 

Speaker: Georg Herzwurm, Prof. Dr., University Stuttgart, Germany
QFD for Testing the Internet of Things

Today, we embark on a new quest: the Internet of Things (IoT). It has been understood that agile methods are the only ones capable of handling the complexity of developing software against unknown customer requirements. What has paved the way was understanding that the aim of software development is not only well-engineered code but understanding the needs of the customer and translating them into a language that machines can understand. For traditional engineers, this looks frightening. For QFD professionals, it sounds familiar.

An even more challenging is to master multitude intelligent things around us. Things talk to each other, exchange information affecting behavior without direct human control. How can we avoid the issues of IoT based glitches and decision errors? This is especially difficult if constraints and operating environments are unknown in advance.

The Combinatory Algebra is useful when dealing with unknown cause-and-effect relationships. It can be seen as a generalization of QFD as it deals with infinite cause-and-effect relationships. From a finite set of Ishikawa diagrams, it is quite possible to build a finite QFD matrix, but with combinatory algebra, it is just as possible to construct infinite rule sets from an infinite number of cause-and-effect diagrams that resemble QFD.

This paper and presentation shows a model of combinatory logic and QFD implementation. A case study in IoT testing how QFD could evolve in the near future is introduced.

Speaker: Thomas Fehlmann, Senior Researcher, Euro Project Office AG, Switzerland
Identifying Quality Factors for Smart Schools that Uses Internet of Things (IoT)

Identifying Quality Factors for Smart Schools that Uses IoT

The internet of things (IoT) is the integration of things via the internet. This integration is done by having sensors on the things to collect data, and then these data are shared via the internet, enabling the things to work together and making the whole much greater than individual things -- when it is done right. But how can all these things work together effectively?

This question is similar to the question which QFD always asks: What is the voice of the customer (VOC) regarding the important qualities of a product? When product engineers or producers respect the VOC, then the value, including the effectiveness, of the product is improved. The immediate goal of this research is to show how QFD can be used in the developing smart schools. The long-range goals are to make and support the claim that by integrating QFD into IoT, the value and usefulness of IoT will improve and to note that in IoT the VOC is often the voice of a large and very diverse group. Thus, in IoT the way the VOC is heard, understood, and applied may require a modification of QFD procedures.

Speaker: Austin Melton, Ph.D., Professor, Kent State University Industry Computer Science and Mathematical Sciences, USA    
A Method of Software Requirements Analysis Considering the Requirements Volatility from the Risk Management Point of View


In software development, there is no good way to avoid the change of requirements even with conventional waterfall model. Rather than trying to perform requirements analysis to obtain perfect coverage of requirements, it is easier to just accept the potential of requirements change as a risk.

This paper describes a study of software requirements analysis while considering the volatility of requirements as a risk. It uses QFD t as the base for requirements analysis, and Risk-Map is used as a tool for risk assessment. The paper includes an application of the method to a real software product as our case studies.

Speaker: Yunarso Anang, Ph.D. candidate, University of Yamanashi, Japan / Indonesia
A Study on Sustainable KAIZEN based on Job Function Deployment Methodology and Methods Engineering at On-site Logistics and Processes

Job function deployment is a method that helps transform customer needs into engineering attributes for a service or product. Methods engineering is a domain of industrial engineering that deals with human integration and manufacturing engineering. These two methodologies used together, can help companies achieve "KAIZEN" as understood in the context of Japanese corporate culture and philosophy, a success that even non-Japanese companies can emulate.

Speaker: Masamitsu Kiuchi, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Josai University Faculty of Business Administration, Japan     
TQM Implementation in China via Practicing QFD


Although TQM was introduced to China in the 1980s, it is only recently that Chinese manufacturers began recognizing its importance. To be qualified as a vendor, whether in international B2B or domestic B2C business, Chinese manufacturers so far have resorted to sales-focused strategies. That worked well in the past, but it is proving insufficient in the face of increasing competition from emerging countries that offer cheaper labor as well as declining global economy that affects their customers purchasing powers.

Added to this are Chinese organizational culture and Chinese way of implementing TQM that are not helping. This paper begins by introducing the problems associated with Chinese introduction of TQM and their traditional implementation approach. It then explains why introducing QFD is an essential business strategy for Chinese manufacturers in their pursuit for sustainable success in the global market.

Speaker: Catherine Y. P. Chan, Ph.D., QFD Black Belt®, President, Hong Kong Quality Function Deployment Association, Hong Kong   
panelHistorical Perspectives of QFD in Asia, Americas, and Europe

An invaluable panel discussion by QFD pioneers from various countries:
  • Dr. Shindo, professor emeritus of University of Yamanashi in Japan, is the earliest colleague of Dr. Akao and witness to the concept development. He is going to speak on the origins of Japanese QFD.
  • Bob King, founder and ex-CEO of GOAL/QPC, is one of the first Americans to introduce QFD to the English-language world. He will speak on its beginnings and growth in the U.S.
  • Harold Ross, who held various management positions at General Motors Vehicle Development and Systems Engineering, will speak on the introduction of QFD at GM thirty years ago.
  • Dr. Herzwurm, professor of Business Administration and Information Systems at the University of Stuttgart in Germany and a founder of QFD-Institut Deutschland, will speak on the state of QFD in Germany and EU region.
  • Dr. Catherine Chan, professor at Hong Kong Polytechnic University and president of Hong Kong QFD Association, will report on the recent dissemination of QFD in Chinese language countries.
  • Glenn Mazur, executive director of QFD Institute and convenor of ISO 16355, will speak on the history of modern advancements, the new ISO and future prospect.