Quality Function Deployment (QFD) (aka House of Quality) is one of the most underrated and effective tools for translating customer requirements (voice of customer) into product and process capabilities/characteristics. QFD is also versatile enough that it can be used by many functions and during different stages (Voice of Customer-to-Concept/Concept-to-Design/Process Development) of NPI.
Quality Function Deployment (QFD) is a customer-focused product development tool that enables organizations to systematically identify and prioritize customer needs, translate them into engineering and manufacturing requirements, and monitor their implementation throughout the product development process. It is a comprehensive, structured approach to design that involves cross-functional teams and collaboration with customers, suppliers, and other stakeholders.
The process of QFD begins with the identification of customer requirements, which are captured in a document called the House of Quality. This document maps customer needs to engineering characteristics, and identifies the importance of each customer requirement and its relationship to other requirements. Once the House of Quality is completed, it is used as a basis for product design and development.