Robust QFD: Framework and a case study

Abstract

Quality function deployment (QFD) provides a specific approach for ensuring quality throughout each stage of the product development. Since the focus of QFD is placed on the early stage of product development, the uncertainty in the input information of QFD is inevitable. If the uncertainty is neglected, the QFD analysis results can be misleading. This paper proposes an extended version of the QFD methodology, called Robust QFD, which is capable of considering the uncertainty of the input information and the resulting variability of the output. The proposed framework aims to model, analyze, and dampen the effects of the uncertainty and variability in a systematic manner. The proposed framework is demonstrated through a case study on the ADSL-based high-speed Internet service. Copyright (c) 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.