How does QFD differ from other quality initiatives?
Traditional quality systems aim at minimizing negative quality such as eliminating defects or reducing operational errors. Assuming that everything goes well, the best you can attain with these systems is zero defects. That sounds pretty good, doesn’t it? But, what if your competitors are also zero defects? Also, a product can be defect-free and still may not sell. This is where design makes a difference. Conventional design processes, however, focus more on engineering capabilities and less on customer needs. When they do try to incorporate customer perspectives, these tend to be engineer or provider-perceived. QFD is quite different in that it seeks out both “spoken” and “unspoken” customer requirements and maximizes “positive” quality (such as ease of use, fun, luxury) that creates value. Traditional quality systems aim at minimizing negative quality (such as defects, poor service).
