BAHIR DAR UNIVERSITY

BAHIR DAR INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

FACULTY OF MECHANICAL AND

INDUSTRIAL ENGINEERING

PRODUCTION PLANNING AND CONTROL INDIVIDUAL ASSIGNMENT

NAME : PAULOS KASSA ALAMIREW

ID : BDU 1507485

Submission Date : 03/06/2017

Q1.Discuss in detail the generic new product development process and the output of each
phase in it.

The new product development (NPD) process is a systematic approach used by companies to
bring a new product to market. It typically consists of several key phases, each with specific
outputs that contribute to the overall success of the product.
The following outlines the generic NPD process in detail:
1.Idea Generation : List of potential product ideas.
This phase involves brainstorming and gathering ideas from various sources such as
customers, competitors, employees, suppliers, and market research. Techniques can include
focus groups, surveys, and innovation workshops.

2. Idea Screening : Refined list of feasible ideas.

In this phase, the ideas generated are evaluated against predefined criteria (e.g., feasibility,
market potential, alignment with company strategy). The goal is to eliminate ideas that are
not viable or aligned with business objectives.

3. Concept Development and Testing : Well-defined product concept and feedback.

The selected ideas are developed into detailed product concepts, often including sketches,
descriptions, and potential features. These concepts are then tested with target consumers to
gather feedback and validate assumptions, helping to refine the product idea.

4. Business Analysis : Business case and financial projections.

This phase involves evaluating the market potential, pricing strategy, cost estimates, and
expected profitability of the product. A comprehensive business case is developed, which
helps determine whether the product should proceed to development.

5. Product Development : Prototype or initial version of the product.

During product development, the actual product is designed and developed. Prototypes or
initial versions are created, allowing for testing of functionality and design. This phase often
involves collaboration with engineering, design, and manufacturing teams.

6. Market Testing : Test market results and adjustments.

In market testing, the product is introduced in a limited market to assess consumer reactions
and performance. Feedback from this phase may lead to refinements in product features or
marketing strategies based on real-world data.
7. Commercialization : Launch plan and marketing strategies.
Following successful market testing, the product is prepared for full-scale launch. This
includes finalizing marketing plans, distribution strategies, and promotional activities. The
launch plan outlines how the product will be introduced to the broader market.

8. Launch : Commercial products available in the market.

The product is officially launched, and it becomes available to consumers. This phase
involves executing the marketing strategies developed in the previous step and monitoring
sales performance and customer feedback.

9. Post-Launch Review and Monitoring : Performance evaluation and necessary adjustments.

After the launch, the product’s performance is monitored closely. Key performance indicators
(KPIs) such as sales figures, customer satisfaction, and market share are analyzed. This phase
may result in adjustments to the product or marketing strategies based on performance data.
 The new product development process is iterative and may require revisiting previous
phases based on findings and feedback. Each output from these phases plays a crucial
role in ensuring the new product's success in the market. Effective execution of the
NPD process can lead to innovative products that meet customer needs and drive
business growth.

Q2.Describe technology-push, platform, process-intensive, customized, high risk, quick-

build and complex systems products with example and their unique features.

1. Technology-Push Products : Products that arise from new technological advancements

rather than market demand.
Example: Smartphones
Unique Features:
- Driven by innovation and technological feasibility.
- Development often involves significant research and development (R&D).
- Can create new markets or disrupt existing ones by offering advanced features.

2. Platform Products : Products built on a common platform that allows for variations and
adaptations to meet different customer needs.

Example: Automotive Platforms (e.g., Volkswagen Group)

Unique Features:
- Reusable components and architecture across multiple products (e.g., different car models).
- Cost-effective due to shared development and manufacturing resources.
- Enables quicker adaptation to market changes or consumer preferences by modifying
existing platforms.

3. Process-Intensive Products : Products that require extensive and complex processes for
their production and are often heavily regulated.

Example: Pharmaceuticals
Unique Features:
- Development and manufacturing involve stringent regulatory compliance and quality
controls.
- Long lead times due to extensive testing and validation requirements.
- High R&D costs and potential returns; often requires collaborations with research
institutions.

4. Customized Products : Products tailored to meet specific needs or preferences of individual

customers.

Example: Custom-Made Furniture

Unique Features:
- High degree of personalization in design, materials, and functionality.
- Often made to order, leading to longer production times.
- Higher price point due to specialization and craftsmanship.

5. High-Risk Products : Products that are associated with high uncertainty regarding their
acceptance, profitability, or technological viability.

Example: Space Exploration Vehicles (e.g., Mars Rovers)

Unique Features:
- Significant investment in R&D with uncertain returns.
- Development involves complex technologies and substantial risk of failure.
- Often supported by government funding or large organizations due to the implications of
failure.
6. Quick-Build Products : Products designed for rapid development and deployment, focusing
on speed to market.

Example: Minimum Viable Products (MVPs) in Software Development

Unique Features:
- Focus on essential features that allow for market entry.
- Incorporates user feedback quickly to enhance the product iteratively.
- Aimed at reducing time-to-market and costs while gauging market demand.
 7. Complex Systems Products : Products composed of various interdependent components,
requiring extensive integration and coordination.

Example: Air Traffic Control Systems

Unique Features:
- Integration of multiple subsystems (software, hardware, communication) to function
cohesively.
- High levels of complexity necessitate thorough testing and validation.
- Critical for operational safety and efficiency, often requiring collaboration among various
stakeholders.

Q3.Discuss quality function deployment

Quality Function Deployment (QFD) is a structured methodology used to transform
customer needs and requirements into engineering characteristics and specifications for a
product or service. It aims to ensure that the voice of the customer (VoC) is effectively
captured and addressed throughout the product development process. Here are some key
aspects of QFD:

Key Components of QFD

1. Voice of the Customer (VoC):
- This refers to the needs, wants, and expectations of customers. Gathering VoC is essential
to effectively translate what customers value into product features.
2. House of Quality (HoQ):
- The most common tool in QFD, HoQ is a matrix that correlates customer requirements
with engineering characteristics. It visually represents the relationship between what
customers expect and how the product will meet those expectations.
3. Prioritization:
- QFD helps prioritize customer needs by allowing teams to assess the importance of
different features and requirements against competitors. This is crucial for resource allocation
during product development.
4. Cross-functional Teamwork:
- QFD encourages collaboration among all stakeholders involved in product development,
including marketing, engineering, manufacturing, and quality control. This teamwork fosters
a holistic understanding of customer needs and technical capabilities.
Benefits of QFD
- Customer Focus: Ensures that the final product aligns with customer desires, which can lead
to increased customer satisfaction and loyalty.
- Reduced Time to Market: By identifying and addressing customer needs early in the
development process, QFD can streamline product design and minimize costly changes later.
- Enhanced Communication: Facilitates clear communication among team members and
departments, which helps in understanding and fulfilling customer requirements effectively.
Implementation Steps
1. Identify customer needs through surveys, interviews, or focus groups.
2. Translate these needs into technical requirements or specifications.
3. Create the House of Quality to visualize relationships between customer demands and
technical requirements.
4. Prioritize the requirements based on customer importance and feasibility.
5. Review and iterate throughout the product development cycle to ensure ongoing alignment
with customer expectations.

Q4.Discuss house of quality

The House of Quality (HoQ) is a critical tool used within the Quality Function Deployment
(QFD) framework. It serves as a visual representation designed to facilitate the translation of
customer requirements (the voice of the customer) into technical specifications.

Structure of the House of Quality

The House of Quality is typically presented as a matrix that resembles a house, hence the
name. Its structure consists of several key components:

1. Customer Requirements (WHATs):

- The left side of the matrix lists the needs and expectations of the customers. These can be
quantitative or qualitative measures.
2. Technical Requirements (HOWs):
- The top portion of the matrix contains the engineering characteristics or specifications that
the product must meet. These can include features, performance measures, and design
attributes.
3. Relationship Matrix:
- The main body of the HoQ contains cells that indicate the strength of the relationship
between customer requirements and technical requirements. Common notations include:
- Strong relationship (often marked with a ‘9’)
- Medium relationship (marked with a ‘3’)
- Weak relationship (marked with a ‘1’)
- No relationship (usually left blank)
4. Prioritization:
- This part often includes a prioritization scale for customer requirements, highlighting
which features are most important based on customer feedback.
5. Competitive Assessment:
- Some variants of the HoQ include a comparison of how competing products meet
customer requirements, typically presented in a separate section.
6. Technical Difficulty:
- It may also feature indications of how technically challenging it is to achieve each
requirement, giving the team insight into potential hurdles.

Benefits of the House of Quality

- Visual Communication: It provides a graphical overview that enhances communication

among team members from different departments, ensuring everyone understands the
priorities and technical specifications.
- Focus: Helps teams focus on customer needs and avoid features that do not add value to
the end-user, ultimately driving more customer-centric design.
- Problem Solving: Facilitates discussions about trade-offs between different customer
requirements and technical specifications, allowing for more informed decision-making.
- Complete Overview: By correlating all the necessary requirements and their relationships, it
offers a comprehensive picture of what needs to be addressed during product development.
Implementation Steps

1. Gather Customer Feedback: Understand customer needs through surveys, interviews, or

market research.
2. Identify Technical Requirements: Based on the customers’ needs, develop the necessary
engineering characteristics.
3. Construct the Matrix: Fill in the HoQ, marking relationships between customer
requirements and technical requirements.
4. Analyze & Prioritize: Use the matrix to prioritize customer needs and assess how well
current or proposed designs will meet those needs.
5. Refinement: Continuously refine the matrix based on feedback and changes during the
product development cycle.
Q5. Difference and similarity if any between quality function deployment and house of
quality.

 Differences

- QFD
: A comprehensive methodology that encompasses the entire process of translating
customer needs into product development, involving multiple tools and phases.
:Focuses on overall product development, including market research, prioritization,
and various cross-functional aspects.
- HoQ
: A specific tool within the QFD process, primarily designed to visually map customer
requirements to technical specifications.
: Concentrates specifically on creating a relationship matrix to illustrate correlations
between customer needs and engineering characteristics.

 Similarities

- Customer-Centric Approach: Both QFD and HoQ prioritize the voice of the
customer, ensuring that customer needs drive product development.
- Collaborative Effort: They both encourage collaboration among different teams
(marketing, engineering, manufacturing) to bring together diverse perspectives and
expertise.
- Visual Representation: Both utilize visual elements (the matrix in HoQ) to facilitate
understanding and communication among team members.

In summary, while QFD is a broader methodology encompassing the entire product

development process, the House of Quality is a specific tool used within QFD to map
customer requirements to technical specifications. Both share a common goal of
enhancing customer satisfaction through effective design and collaboration.