Quality Function Deployment and Six Sigma: A QFD Handbook, Second Edition

7. The Product Planning Matrix

With Joe Kasabula, Randy Perry

This chapter shows how QFD helps a team to conduct strategic planning for its product. Just as the Customer Needs and Benefits section is a repository of qualitative customer data, the Planning Matrix is the repository for important quantitative data about each customer need. The development team will use this data to decide which aspects of the planned product or service will be emphasized during the development project.

The customer-data and Planning Matrix portions of the QFD are developed through VOC efforts. These may be based on customer interviews, KJ analysis (see Chapter 4, Section 4.2.5), and follow-up customer surveys, for example.¹ After completion of customer interviews, ...