Applying Design for Six Sigma to Software and Hardware Systems

by Eric Maass, Patricia D. McNair

Released August 2009

Publisher(s): Pearson

ISBN: 9780137034093

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Book description

The Practical, Example-Rich Guide to Building Better Systems, Software, and Hardware with DFSS

Design for Six Sigma (DFSS) offers engineers powerful opportunities to develop more successful systems, software, hardware, and processes. In Applying Design for Six Sigma to Software and Hardware Systems, two leading experts offer a realistic, step-by-step process for succeeding with DFSS. Their clear, start-to-finish roadmap is designed for successfully developing complex high-technology products and systems that require both software and hardware development.

Drawing on their unsurpassed experience leading Six Sigma at Motorola, the authors cover the entire project lifecycle, from business case through scheduling, customer-driven requirements gathering through execution. They provide real-world examples for applying their techniques to software alone, hardware alone, and systems composed of both. Product developers will find proven job aids and specific guidance about what teams and team members need to do at every stage.

Using this book’s integrated, systems approach, marketers, software professionals, and hardware developers can converge all their efforts on what really matters: addressing the customer’s true needs.

Learn how to

Ensure that your entire team shares a solid understanding of customer needs

Define measurable critical parameters that reflect customer requirements

Thoroughly assess business case risk and opportunity in the context of product roadmaps and portfolios

Prioritize development decisions and scheduling in the face of resource constraints

Flow critical parameters down to quantifiable, verifiable requirements for every sub-process, subsystem, and component

Use predictive engineering and advanced optimization to build products that robustly handle variations in manufacturing and usage

Verify system capabilities and reliability based on pilots or early production samples

Master new statistical techniques for ensuring that supply chains deliver on time, with minimal inventory

Choose the right DFSS tools, using the authors’ step-by-step flowchart

If you’re an engineer involved in developing any new technology solution, this book will help you reflect the real Voice of the Customer, achieve better results faster, and eliminate fingerpointing.

About the Web Site The accompanying Web site, sigmaexperts.com/dfss, provides an interactive DFSS flowchart, templates, exercises, examples, and tools.