R . I . TMechanical Engineering

Design Project Management

Voice of the Customer: Objective Tree andCustomer Needs

Rochester Institute of TechnologyMechanical Engineering Department

Rochester, NY USA

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Session Objectives

• Follow-up on interpreting customer needs• Objective Trees• Practice writing and grouping needs• Work time: interpret interview data, conduct and

summarize background research• Report back: progress on VOC

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Questions…

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Session Objectives

• Follow-up on interpreting customer needs• Practice writing needs• Objective Trees• Work time: interpret interview data, conduct and

summarize background research• Report back: progress on VOC

R . I . TMechanical Engineering

Needs Assessment

• Gather information• In-progress – interviews, observations, research

• Interpret raw data • Will practice today

• Organize needs• Affinity diagrams, objective tree – will review today

• Establish relative importance• Customer feedback – will provide templates for gathering

this next week.

• Reflect

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Interpret Raw Data

• What, not how• Express the need as specifically as the raw data• Use positive statements, not negative• Express the need as an attribute of the product• Avoid “must”, “should”, or other words that could

imply importance

You MUST interpret the customer’s statements eventually, just not during the interview!

From Ulrich and Eppinger

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What, not How

• Ex: “Why don’t you put protective shields around the battery contacts?”

• Ex: “Can you make the shopping cart out of plastic? Then it would be easier to push.”

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What, not How

• Wrong: “The screwdriver battery contacts are covered by a plastic sliding door.”

• Right: “The screwdriver battery is protected from accidental shorting.”

• Wrong: “Shopping car is made out of plastic.”• Right: “Shopping cart is easy to push.”

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Maintain Level of Specificity

• Ex: “I drop my screwdriver all the time.”

• Ex: “We get a lot of customer complaints about shopping carts having wobbly wheels.”

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Maintain Level of Specificity

• Wrong: The screwdriver is rugged.”• Right: “The screwdriver operates normally after

repeated dropping.”

• Wrong: “Reduce number of customer complaints about shopping carts.”

• Right: “Reduce number of customer complaints about shopping carts with wobbly wheels.”

From Ulrich and Eppinger

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Positive, not Negative

• Ex: “It doesn’t matter if it’s raining; I still need to work outside on Saturdays.”

• Ex: “I hate it when I get home and my bananas are all bruised.”

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Positive, not Negative

• Wrong: “The screwdriver is not disabled by the rain.”

• Right: “The screwdriver operates normally in the rain.”

• Wrong: “The shopping cart does not damage food.”

• Right: “The shopping cart stores food safely.”

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Attribute of the Product

• Ex: “I’d like to charge my battery from my cigarette lighter.”

• Ex: “Some aisles are too narrow for the carts they have now.”

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R . I . TMechanical Engineering

Attribute of the Product

• Wrong: “An automobile cigarette lighter adapter can charge the screwdriver battery.”

• Right: “The screwdriver can be charged from an automobile cigarette lighter.”

• Wrong: “The store aisles are big enough for the cart.”

• Right: “The carts fit through store aisles.”

From Ulrich and Eppinger

R . I . TMechanical Engineering

Avoid Assigning Importance

• Ex: “I hate it when I don’t know how much juice is left in the batteries of my cordless tools.”

• Ex: “I’d love a place to keep my coffee cup while I shop.”

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Avoid Assigning Importance

• Wrong: “The screwdriver should provide an indication of the energy level of the battery.”

• Right: “The screwdriver provides an indication of the energy level of the battery.”

• Wrong: “The shopping cart should provide a space for a coffee cup.”

• Right: “The shopping cart provides a space for a coffee cup.”

From Ulrich and Eppinger

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DISCLAIMER

• Reflect on your needs – do they make sense?

• If there were a one-size-fits-all mechanical formula for defining a design problem, we’d have computers do it.

• This applies to all of DPM!• If something doesn’t make sense, or you don’t

understand why you’re doing it, ASK!

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Session Objectives

• Follow-up on interpreting customer needs• Practice writing needs• Objective Trees• Work time: interpret interview data, conduct and

summarize background research• Report back: progress on VOC

R . I . TMechanical Engineering

Excerpt from interview

• From Otto & Wood’s Product Design• Discuss this interview within your group and

extract a few customer needs from the statements.

• Have you followed the guidelines?• Your thoughts on the process?

[handout]

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Book: The customer needs a clipper that is/has:

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Session Objectives

• Follow-up on interpreting customer needs• Practice writing needs• Objective Trees• Work time: interpret interview data, conduct and

summarize background research• Report back: progress on VOC

R . I . TMechanical Engineering

Objective Tree

• Heirarchy of needs• Lowest level: explicit list of customer needs

• Next level: objective categories (themes)

• Highest level: Overall project objective

• Opportunity to check your work:• Does the overall project objective actually require all the

customer needs listed?

• Are there elements of the overall project objective that have not been captured in an individual needs statement?

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Project Objective

• The Nazareth College Physical Therapy Clinic would like a balance training video game that will recognize varying movements and provide feedback to patients on their progress, as well as more specific feedback to the therapist. The game should be fun and keep the patients’ interest.

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1.1 Adjustability Provide different speeds(reaction time) for varying levels of rehabilitation

1.2 Adjustability Variable Distances

1.3 Adjustability Fit Children (usually smaller than average)

1.4 Adjustability Fit Adults (Max 330 lb male)

1.5 Adjustability Fit Patients sitting (Wheel chair)

2.2 Safety Can be cleansed and sterilized

2.3 Safety Can hold up to repetitive use-safety of device

2.4 Safety Can hold up to repetitive use-safety of patient

3.1 Ease of Use - PT Communicate easily with Physical Therapist

3.2 Ease of Use - PT Provide Physical Therapist with an easy to understand Users Manual

3.3 Ease of Use - PT Simple Assembly

3.3 Ease of Use Easy Storage

3.4 Ease of Use Doesn't take up a lot of space and can be in the gym area

3.5 Ease of Use Easy to move(Portability)

3.6 Ease of Use Simple Visual Feedback

3.7 Ease of Use Simple Auditory Feedback

3.8 Ease of Use Doesn't take a lot of strength to hit target

4.1 Cost Fits within budget

4.2 Cost Low cost repairs

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Sorting through customer needs

• Needs can separate into several common categories:• Economics (cost)

• Project scope (time frame, size of team)

• Technology (device features and performance)

• Resources (people, equipment, time)

• Safety

• Constraints (e.g., regulations from ADA, FDA, FAA, …)

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Recall process:

• Gather information• Interpret raw data • Organize needs (once you have interpreted

and sorted your interview data and customer needs statements)

• Establish relative importance• Reflect

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Questions?

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Session Objectives

• Follow-up on interpreting customer needs• Practice writing needs• Objective Trees• Work time• Report back: progress on VOC

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Observations from Work Time

• “Customer was all over the place – we need to focus him/her.”• You’re not alone! Be patient, persistent, and professional.

• Could you ask your questions differently to get at the type of answer you’re seeking?

• Do you need to explain the scope of your project and ask that the customer prioritize focus areas?

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More observations

• “I heard back from [person], and she said they won’t know anything for another three weeks.”• You’re not alone! Be patient, persistent, and professional.

• Try asking for less information. Your contact may think you know more than you do. Politely remind them that you are just learning about the project and would appreciate any information they can give you at this point, even if it may change in the future.

• Is there another stakeholder you could contact to gather similar (if not exactly representative of your project) information?

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More observations

• “I haven’t heard back from [person].”• You’re not alone! Be patient, persistent, and professional.

• Send a friendly reminder. Copy the instructor and/or your guide so we know you’re trying to contact the stakeholder.

• Is there another stakeholder you could contact to gather similar (if not exactly representative of your project) information?

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More observations

• “Yeah, we’re going to do that.”• Use your class work time effectively – all team members

in one place at the same time!

• Plan work now to avoid duplication of effort in between class periods.

• Assign specific tasks to individuals

• Document your efforts and plans – take notes, post to EDGE, make sure the information is available.

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More observations

• So, my team only has to turn in 2 research articles and 1 interview for Friday?• Technically, your team doesn’t HAVE to turn in anything,

since this is a 0-point Dropbox assignment. But I wouldn’t recommend that…

• We don’t expect the same output from a 1-person team that we do from a 9-person team.

• Goal of “assignment” is to keep you moving forward. You have a presentation in 2-1/2 weeks on your project background and voice of the customer. If you haven’t met Friday’s bar by Friday, you will be extremely busy during the next 2 weeks!