Quality function deployment opportunities in product model supported design

This thesis describes the development of a QFD information model established in an environment where design information is shared between software applications. The main objectives of the research are to establish a QFD information structure within a Product Data Model and to demonstrate how this enables an intelligent, knowledgebased analysis of QFD information contained in a Product Model. The generic structure of the QFD information has been defined and implemented in prototype software and its value is demonstrated through experimentation in two case studies. Successful implementation of the case studies proved that the QFD information structure is able to capture QFD information as persistent objects residing in a Product Model. It also demonstrates that an intelligent knowledge-based QFD expert can be implemented alongside the QFD information model to accomplish useful, consistent, reasoned analysis of QFD information. The research has achieved its aim to provide a new contribution in the product design domain, and to the effectiveness of Concurrent Engineering activities, through better use of Quality Function Deployment

An intelligent information framework relating customer requirements and product characteristics

Market driven strategies encourage enterprises to produce products that customers want to buy, and therefore can improve an enterprise's market position. Few organisations make effective use of market, competitor and customer information. Information modelling and intelligent support tools help define product specifications focused on fulfilling customer requirements and facilitating information sharing between members of extended design teams. Design effort can be targeted at particular product features, which yield maximum benefits for customer satisfaction. The Market Driven Design System provides comprehensive, intelligent support, meeting the challenges of effectively modelling, using and sharing valuable, yet imprecise, non-technical market information during product design