E3S Web of Conferences 469, 00032 (2023) https://doi.org/10.

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Integration of QFD method and TRIZ tools in an

innovant product development
Meryeme BOUOUCHMA1*, Brahim HERROU2
1Laboratoire des Techniques Industrielles-(FST), USMBA-Fez – Morocco -
2
Laboratoire des Techniques Industrielles-(EST), USMBA- Fez – Morocco-

Abstract. As organizations strive to compete in the highly competitive

global economy, the level of competition is intensifying, so that it requires
developing new and improved products to meet specific customers’ needs.
This paper attempts to present a model that can be used for developing new
products process, based on the integration of QFD method with TRIZ
tools. In fact, we will use functional analysis, in order to clearly define
customer’s needs, before using QFD method which makes it possible to
translate the process requirements into design features, through the House
of Quality. However, some contradictions may arise between technical
characteristics. Thus, a systematic analysis based on the TRIZ tool will be
introduced, in order to withdraw many potential contradictions between
technical requirements, or predict a potential evolution trend, via
innovative solutions that meet design principles.
Keywords: QFD; TRIZ; House of Quality; Functional Analysis; New
Product Development; CDCF; Contradiction; Evolution Trends;
Innovation.

1 Introduction
Nowadays, globalization leads to a strong competition between companies, since the
customer becomes more selective as far as choosing products is concerned. Thus,
companies must go along with such a strong competition, through establishing a strategy
that aims to provide attractive products to their respective markets, so that it gives a feeling
of satisfaction to their customers, in terms of quality, outstanding functions, price, time, and
service. Considering these conditions, original technical innovations through the
development of advanced technologies become an indispensable factor to create new
products.
In fact, the development of a new product is a knowledge-driven activity in which
requirements and constraints are converted into a product description [1].
Theory of Creative Problem Solving (TRIZ), proposed by Genrich Altshuller [2], is a
widely used method for solving creative problems and fostering innovation during the
design process [3]. However, the use of TRIZ tools remains difficult, especially for non-
experts. The main difficulty arises during the exploitation of TRIZ contradiction matrix.
Several contradictions may emerge during this phase. It becomes difficult to identify the
most relevant contradictions to handle. Dealing with all contradictions may be very time-

* Corresponding author: [email protected]

© The Authors, published by EDP Sciences. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative
Commons Attribution License 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
E3S Web of Conferences 469, 00032 (2023) https://doi.org/10.1051/e3sconf/202346900032
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consuming. Hmina et al. [4] proposed a preferences-based approach in order to prioritize

these contradictions. Using desirability functions and an aggregation operator, the proposed
approach aims to evaluate the effect of each contradiction on the achievement of design
objectives. Trojan & Marçal [5] proposed using a multi-criteria decision-making aid
method (ELECTRE) with different design criteria in order to prioritize identified
contradictions. Ben Moallem et al. [6] proposed a qualitative approach to identify the most
relevant contradictions. They proposed to conduct semi-structured interviews with expert to
classify contradictions according to their importance.
QFD is generally used in order to capture the customer voice and, then, translate the
process requirements into design features. Nevertheless, some other features are not
expressed, since they reflect the evolutionary trends of the product. On the other hand,
some contradictions may result, which needs many compromise solutions to achieve the
optimal performance. The advantage of QFD is its ability to display potential contradictions
in design requirements. Thus, the systematic analysis based on the Theory of Creative
Problem Solving (TRIZ) was developed to propose innovative solutions that meet design
principles.
This paper proposes a model of a product innovation process, based on the integration of
QFD method with TRIZ tools. In the first step, the functional analysis is used in order to
clearly define customer’s needs through developing a CDCF and identifying service
functions, and constraint ones. In the second section, QFD tool is applied via the house of
quality matrix. It serves to classify users’ requirements according to their importance,
validate technical specifications that must be taken to satisfy customers’ needs, and identify
potential conflicts that might be occurred between them, and finally TRIZ method will be
introduced, that aims to withdraw many potential contradictions between technical
requirements, or perhaps predict a potential evolution of the final product, to enable the
product conception.

2 Functional analysis
Functional analysis is a method that integrates the need that will mark the product
characteristics, technical solutions to satisfy its requirements, as well as the topological
analysis that lays the groundwork for the future product development [7]. It enables to
characterize the functions offered by a product, in order to satisfy the user’s needs. This
method is used to analyze product before proceeding with realization, it allows studying the
product as well as their constraints. Two stages have taken in functional analysis: the first
one “external functional analysis” and second “internal functional analysis” [8].
The functional analysis of the need for a product, system or service basis resides in its
potentiality to be valuable by satisfying the expecting benefits for future users. Indeed, it
describes the user’s point of view, as if the product is a «black box» that must meet
expressed needs during its life cycle. For that, the graphical tool shown in figure 1, called
"horned beast" is used to answer the following questions: At who/ what does the system
serve? On who/what is he operating on? For what purpose? [7].
Whom is the product What does it have an
useful for? effect on?

The product

What is the goal?

Fig. 1. Horned beast diagram [7]

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Functions identification: This step is very important during a design process. Indeed,
functions reflect the description of the need to be satisfied by the system and they guide for
the use of the technical solutions to be later analyzed.
Functions of the system are represented via Octopus diagram, which introduces the system
(component of study) surrounded by elements of external environment (A,B,C,D,E) shown
in figure2,this external environment are linked together by functions (PF, CF1, CF2, CF3).
In other words, the role of octopus’s diagram is to define the relationships that might be
between elements of the system environment. Thus, service functions, separated into main
functions (PF), and constraint functions (CF) are defined. The figure 2 shows an example of
the octopus diagram:

Fig. 2. Octopus diagram [7]

Technical-functional analysis: it aims at analyzing the system from the technical point of
view. In fact, it ensures the transition from service functions to technical functions, before
proposing constructive solutions that will be implemented. For this purpose, the FAST
diagram makes it possible to well understand a complex product, and then introduce
different scenarios of technical solutions, up to constituent equipment of the product,
through answering the questions: Why? When? How? Starting from a given function.

Fig. 3. FAST diagram principle

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Also, the second tool that might be used is the SADT diagram shown in figure 4, which is
an analytical tool that shows the functional relationships of the values computed by a
system, including input and output values, as well as internal data stores. It represents data
values flow from their sources through processes which transform them to their destinations
in other objects and expose how this data are related to the outside world.

Fig. 4. SADT diagram

3 Quality Function Deployment – QFD

Quality Function Deployment (QFD) was founded by Akao Yoji in Japan in 1966 [9], he
described this method as a systematic quality management approach, that aims at creating
customers’ satisfaction, through defining their requirements, and later convert them into
design targets, from product planning and production process, to distribution to the targeted
market [10] [11].
Indeed, The QFD methodology aims to achieve client satisfaction and take into
consideration his voice in different steps of development and product [9], which needs
more effort to get necessary information to reflect the customer’s requirements [12]. For
that a, different way and method are used to satisfy the client and understand his needs like:
surveys, discussions or quiz [12] before convert customers’ requirements into measurable
design targets.
This method might be considered as a proactive product development, that promotes
teamwork values within the organisation, and then it generates so many significant gains.
Indeed, getting market information on a continuous basis through listening to customer’s
voice ensures a successful introduction of the product and its good position in the market
place. Also, QFD may optimizes design process cycle time, since the product is introduced
faster to the market. Moreover, the product quality is improved, as the lower number of
required technical changes would absolutely reduce run-up costs and financial waste.

3.1 House of Quality

The deployment of product requirements, following users’ expectations in regard to a
specific product, is represented by a matrix diagram called “House of Quality”. Indeed, it is
considered as the essential tool of QFD, for decision making, since it is performed by
different departments of a company (marketing, sales, design, production, quality…). Not
only does the House of Quality reduce product development time, but it also, it increases
the users’ satisfaction once they use the product [10].
The House of Quality diagram brings to mind the shape of a house with a rooftop. It is
about a series of successive steps that pinpoints the fact that the design of a product should
reflect customers’ needs, which are directly related to technical specifications and
engineering characteristics. In fact, lines refer to customers’ requirements, while columns
contain expected technical characteristics of the product [13].

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The figure 5 below shows the different part of the House of Quality Matrix:

Fig. 5. House of Quality Matrix

The first step in of the House of Quality consists of defining customers’ requirements.
• Customers’ Requirements: The part in the left of the matrix, called also the “What”.
Needs of customers that are generally different, subjective and personal, are listed. They
reflect their particular preferences for the product. They might be defined through many
ways: interviews, customer complaints, market investigations, focus group and surveys,
Then, each need is rated on a scale of 1 to 5, according to its importance [10].
• Technical Characteristics: Called also the “How”. It presents controllable and
measurable design requirements, engineering specifications and technical methods, that
are directly related to the “What” section, and which they must be taken by the
organization, so that customer’s needs will be satisfied [10].
• Relationship Matrix: Each intersection between a «What» and a «How» is evaluated to
determine if there is a relationship or how strong that relationship between defined
customer’s needs and technical characteristics is. For that purpose, the legend below is
used [10]:

◎ =weight of 9, which means a strong relationship.

❍= weight of 3, which indicates a medium relationship.
△ = weight of 1, which refers to a weak relationship.

• Correlation Matrix: The top portion of the matrix, called also the «Roof of the House».
Indeed, starting with identifying customers’ requirements and then convert them into
technical methods might generate some contradictions. This part introduces potential
conflicts that may be occurred between technical specifications, via using symbols
representing positive (+), strong positive correlation (++), negative (-) or strong negative
relationships (--).
• Importance Weights & Technical Attributes: Importance weights represent the overall
importance after evaluating both engineering relationships and customer importance. In

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fact, for each technical specification, the importance weight is determined, through
calculating the product of each customer’s need rate value and the corresponding value of
the relationship symbols in the legend used in relationship matrix part. Concerning the
technical attributes, they define target values that should be used for each technical
characteristic “How”, as an objective way to ensure users’ requirements.
• Competitive Assessment:. The right of the matrix shows the comparative assessment
section. It is a sort of benchmark analysis in which a trending line indicates the position of
the product compared to other brand models with similar specifications. For each
customer specification, each brand is rated on a range of 1 up to 5. (1 refers to a poor
effectiveness of the brand, 5 means excellent effectiveness of the brand).

4 New product development

New product development is a dynamic and global process that starts from idea generation
until product launch step, and lasts with the evaluation of the product success. It is
considered nowadays as a challenging business due to increased globalization, which
enables firms to take advantage of worldwide opportunities, improve their efficiency and
boost their effectiveness of innovation. In other words, developing new products is pretty
related with companies needs to maintain a competitive advantage within the market.
Indeed, new products process is quite difficult, since all different departments are involved
to ensure the creation of a single product (business, product development, marketing, and
sales…). Moreover, the new product viability at every stage of its development has become
the primary focus of product managers, as radical innovation is crucial to the future product
as well as the survival of the firm.

The new product development process can be summarized in figure 6 below:

Fig. 6. The new product development process

A new product development process can be described as follow:
- Idea generation: refers to using brainstorming methods, to introduce new products
concepts or in order to improve existing ones, depending on market trends and customers’
requirements evolution. Sources of generating ideas might be external via users’ feedbacks,
market studies, benchmark analysis, continues surveys. On the other hand, some ideas may
be generated within the organization, marketing and sales services, technical department…
-Idea screening: as the second step, that consists of choosing ideas that will have the
maximum probability of success. It is a critical step that needs the presence of
multidisciplinary experts from different fields, in order to decide which idea to pursue.

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-Concept development and testing: once the idea is chosen, it must be developed into
concepts, which is a specific description of the idea, that must include features of the future
products, technical solutions, required resources, estimated design and production costs, as
well as proposed price.
-Marketing strategy and business analysis: it is a primordial step that aims at introducing
the product to the targeted market through a marketing strategy. It will give a clear idea
about the position of the new future product, evaluate its attractiveness in regards to many
factors, such as expected price, sales expectations, and customer’s appreciation.
-Product development: this stage comes one the last step is fulfilled. It means converting
the concept into a finished product. This step consists of developing protypes under test by
users to check their feedback, correct potential issues, validate the design, and ensure
positive interactions towards the final product.
-Test marketing: it aims at evaluating the final product performance, by releasing it to a
sample market, as a final validation before moving to product launch.
-Product launch: it represents the final step of the process. It refers to introducing the final
product to the targeted market. One of key points of that important step is ensuring
continuous track of the product success and plan necessary adjustments if ever needed.

5 TRIZ Method
TRIZ method was proposed by a Russian inventor, called “Genrich Altshuller” in 1946.
TRIZ is a Russian acronym, that means “Theory of Inventive Problem Solving”. It is
considered as a problem-solving tool using a methodical approach that enables to find
suitable solutions for complex problems, which generally need inventive solutions.[14].
Altshuller, analyzed more than 400 000 patents in order to draw 39 engineering parameters,
identify 40 principles of innovation and elaborate the contradiction matrix. Indeed, this
method helps to eliminate contradictions that might be occur during the product design.

Table 1. The 40 principles of innovation of the TRIZ theory [15]

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Table 2. The 39 criteria for design [15]

In fact, the designer identifies the existing contradiction during the product design. Once
the Problem is identified, it must be formulated into a standard or a general problem. Then,
TRIZ tools are used in order to determine generic solutions, before convert them into
specific solutions. The figure7 represents the general process of TRIZ method to identify
specific solutions: [4]

Fig. 7. The general process of TRIZ method [15]

The TRIZ approach proposes a detailed methodology that assist the user in identifying
generic problems and later developing specific solutions, which are not generally the final
innovative solutions. In fact, a specific solution might be origin of a new specific problem,
for which new solutions must be defined. Thus, the chosen solution follows a converging
process as shown in figure 8:

Fig. 8. Convergence of the approach of TRIZ [15]

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6 The Proposed model

The process of the proposed model is shown below:

New product

Functional analysis

Customer’s requirements & Functions

(CdCF)

QFD

Technical specifications

Evolution trends Contradictions

TRIZ evolution laws Specific problem

Generic problem

Physical contradiction Technical contradiction

Separation principles TRIZ Matrix (40 principles)

Generic solution

Specific solution

Evaluation of the
Implementation
proposed solution

Fig. 9. Proposed model

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The process of the proposed model is described as follows:

- The starting point of the proposed model refers to the conception of a new product idea or
renewing an existing one, in order to be launched into the targeted market.
- Then, the next step consists of using Functional Analysis, as a primordial tool that aims at
identifying system functions, describing needs to be fulfilled, as well as ensuring the
transition from service functions, to technical ones, through introducing constructive
solutions that should be implemented.
- Once customer’s requirements are clearly identified via CdCF, the following step consists
of using QFD tool, via the House of Quality matrix. In fact, customers’ need will be listed
in the left of the matrix, before rating them according to their importance. Then, we place
expected technical characteristics, detailed engineering specifications, measurable design
targets, that will fulfill users’ needs, into the matrix columns.
- Afterwards, once technical specifications are set, correlations between them must be
defined, in order to identify some contradictions that might occur, and which can affect
some of the final product features. That’s why TRIZ tools will be used. Indeed, specific
problems must be well analyzed and understood, before formulating them as generic or
standard problems. Actors may face two types of contradictions: technical contradictions,
which are resolved via TRIZ matrix with 39 parameters & 40 principles of innovation, and
physical contradictions that can be eliminated through the 4 separation principles,
separation in terms of time or space.
- Therefore, TRIZ tools is used to determine generic solutions, before interpret them and
draw specific solutions for the determined specific problem.
- Absolutely, QFD method is useful to identify relationships between technical
specifications which can be sometimes only positive. Hence, actors look for some
innovative ideas to ensure evolution trends of the product, as well as its potential
development, through using the 8 TRIZ evolution laws. In fact, not only does TRIZ theory
resolve contradictions, but also it helps to propose many evolution ideas, in order to ensure
the continuous development of the product.
- Finally, the last step consists of evaluating proposed solutions, from both technical and
financial points of view. Therefore, if the solution seems to be suitable and applicable, it
well be implemented. Otherwise, iterative operation of using TRIZ tools remains necessary
to propose again new potential specific solutions or identified specific problems.

7 Conclusion
It is crystal clear that new product development is a complex activity in which customer’s
delight while constraints satisfaction is a great challenge that firms have to overcome. In
this paper we proposed a model of a new product development process in which QFD
method and TRIZ tools are both integrated to come up with innovative solutions. Indeed,
QFD method enables to track relationships among requirements, identify measurable
engineering parameters and define potential interactions between them, via using the House
of Quality. Besides, TRIZ power consists of offering innovative solutions that may promote
the evolution of the product and its development process. In fact, TRIZ matrix with 40
principles eliminates technical contradictions, while separation principles resolve physical
contradictions. Otherwise, if there are no contradictions, TRIZ evolution laws can be used
to ensure evolution trends of the product, as well as its potential development, regardless of
their nature. The proposed model is considered as a continuous cycle that might assist
actors in finding the optimal solution to be implemented during the product development
process.

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