H. A. Crostack
Dortmund University of Technology, Dortmund, Germany
I. Hackenbroich
Dortmund University of Technology, Dortmund, Germany
R. Refflinghaus
Dortmund University of Technology, Dortmund, Germany
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Published in: 11th QMOD Conference. Quality Management and Organizational Development Attaining Sustainability From Organizational Excellence to SustainAble Excellence; 20-22 August; 2008 in Helsingborg; Sweden
Linköping Electronic Conference Proceedings 33:68, p. 795-809
Published: 2008-12-09
ISBN:
ISSN: 1650-3686 (print), 1650-3740 (online)
By using the Analytic Hierarchy Process [AHP] the precision of the weightings of customer demands can be increased before they are used in a Quality Function Deployment [QFD]. Basically essential are the method of pairwise comparison as well as the assessment of the logic. A problem for a QFD-integration is that the AHP gives relative weightings. Therefore we have created a way of transferring relative into absolute weightings. The complete procedure was successfully realised in a document management-systems [DMS].
Originality/value: One possible methodology to apply AHP before a QFD was presented at the QMOD 2007. Now we have developed this procedure further and have tested it in practice in the prioritization of demands on DM-systems. Additionally; we have tested various methods of transforming the relative into absolute values in order to increase precision.
Purpose: QFD can only lead to exact results if the input mirrors exactly the customers’ opinions. The relative weightings won by the AHP certainly represent the preferences more exactly. The next task was to transform these relative weightings in such a way that they can be entered as input into a QFD. On the one hand; this procedure has to be practicable; but on the other hand the loss of precision has to be as small as possible.
Methodology/approach: We have therefore developed a methodology how to transform the relative weightings of the AHP into absolute weightings for a QFD. The suitability of the concept was tested in several customer interviews and the results were processed according to the methodology. The resulting customer requirements can be used to support a concrete investment decision as well as by developers for new or further development of DM- systems.
Findings: When tested we have found out that the interviews with the help of AHP are accepted very well by customers. We had expected some difficulties concerning the consistency of the answers. However; this was not the case. The procedure was considered very practicable. Furthermore; the precision of the input of the QFD could be increased.
Crostack; H.-A.; Hackenbroich; I.; Refflinghaus; R.; Winter; D.; (2007) “Investigations into More Exact Weightings of Customer Demands in QFD” The Asian Journal on Quality; 2007; Volume 8; No.3; ISSN 1598-2688; Page 71-80.
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