Product Definition (PD) and pragmatic
Quality Function Deployment (pQFD)
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Product Definition (PD) process and activities are essential
before and during the early stages of product development using methods
such as pragmatic Quality Function Deployment (pQFD) and other tools.
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| The one factor that all research, gurus and practical
case studies agree on is that focus on Customers is the key factor for
successful products and services. There are some differences in B2B Business
to Business and B2C Business to Consumer markets in how you go about understanding
and fulfilling customers' needs, customers' customers needs however, the
principles, tools and methods for translating information into a winning
product definition are similar.
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The overall process for definition and specification of
Winning Products and Services comprises: capturing customers' needs, competitive
information, technology trends and translating into a definition of product
features and specification early in a project. However, in some companies
this is more like a game of 'spec. tennis' than a collaborative effort
to make the tradeoffs necessary to balance customer requirements with
the need to make money.
It is important that the method and tools used for product definition
encourage and support collaborative and cross-functional work across the
various parts of a company such as marketing, product management, product
development, R&D, manufacturing, operations, sales and others.
We have developed a product definition process, method and tools which
can be used by companies which develop physical products, non-physical
products or service offerings in variety of industries such as : Electronics;
Telecoms; Software and High Technology; Engineering and Manufacturing;
Chemicals; Ceramics and Building products; Financial Services ............ |
It also applies whether companies are Business to Business
(B2B); Business to Business User (B2U); Business to End-User (B2E) and
Business to Consumer (B2C) in terms of underlying principles but methods
and tools need to be adapted and tailored for specific situations."
We refer to the process as a "Diamond Rings" since product definition
can be thought of as a "diamond" shape comprising a divergent
part in which information, ideas and product concepts are generated and
convergent part in which information and product concepts are analysed,
strengths and weaknesses summarised, trade-offs made and the product definition
agreed and documented.
The "rings" are the associated processes of Voices of Customers
(VoC) and Competitive Analysis (CA) in which information is collected
to provide inputs to the "diamond". As indicated, the processes
can be highly iterative.
The term "Diamond Rings" also sets the expectation that the
products or Value Propositions defined by the process and tools will be
as valuable as diamond rings. |
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It is sometimes helpful to think of the overall method
as information capture followed by information translation into a product
or product range definition. The information comes from: the Voices of
Customers (needs, benefits, expectations); the actions of customers (what
they do); the threats of competitive products; the requirements from contingents
such as regulators, standards etc.; and other sources.
The above information are termed the WHATs. Since these are what the product,
product range or Value Proposition needs to provide for customers. |
The importance of each WHAT for each type of customer market
segment also needs to be understood for effective definition.
Depending on the type of product, the WHATs can be categorised as, for
example, Aesthetics; Useability; Desirability; Reliability; Supportability;
Affordability/Price; Effort to Acquire etc.
The way the product, product range or Value Proposition provides the WHATs
are termed the HOWs. HOWs can comprise: features and performance targets
etc.
Translation consists of transforming the WHATs into a set of HOWs taking
into account the importance of each WHAT to customers and the effectiveness
of the HOWs in providing the appropriate benefits and expectations.
The analysis and decision making also takes into account the product cost,
risk and resource constraints.
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| The tools for analysis and translation include Quality
Function Deployment (QFD) and a simpler and more pragmatic version, developed
by us, known as pragmatic Quality Function Deployment (pQFD) as illustrated
here.
We are experienced in adapting and applying the Product Definition (PD)
and pQFD methods and tools for a client's specific situation using a variety
of implementation programmes and a database of tools.
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Product Definition (PD) programmes can be of 2 main types:
1. PD Methods and tools improvement programme.
In this type of programme we can help you tailor and implement best practices,
methods and tools best suited to your company, business unit, market,
application and industry. We also provide training and skills transfer
if required.
2. Product Definition for a Product, Product Range or Value Proposition
programme.
In this type of programme we work with you to implement the tools as part
of a product definition or product development project.
The outputs are:
> Tailored PD process and toolkit
> Skills transfer
> Product definition for a product, product range or Value Proposition |
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Each programme is tailored to the client's situation, but
typically comprises the following deliverables: draft set of plans; Product
Development process, toolkits, facilitated workshops and software.
A typical programme comprises: |
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An assessment of current methods, tools and information
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Introduction to principles and methods, in say a facilitated workshop |
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Agreement of programme objectives and methods |
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Agreement of programme deliverables |
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Assessment of current product definitions
Tailoring of toolkit and software for client's specifics |
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Facilitated workshops, 1:1 and 1:n coaching to transfer understanding
and apply tools in client's application.
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Project to generate product definition |
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Off-line telephone and e-mail support
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A VoC Methods and tools improvement programme is tailored to the client's
situation, but typically comprises the following deliverables:
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Improvement Plan
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Tailored VoC Wheel
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Tailored methods and toolkit |
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Tailored Software Packages and Templates |
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