Approach of customer requirement analysis based on requirement element and improved HoQ in product configuration design

Accurate acquisition and effective translation of customer requirements are two key links in product configuration design. In the paper, two concepts are introduced for customer requirement decomposition. One is the requirement element, and the other is the granularity of requirement element. Moreover, the controlling principle for granularity of requirement element is given and the method of requirement decomposition is proposed from the point of semantic meaning. This method means semantic segmentation, semantic translation, supplement or subdivision of human-machine-environment and semantic combination. Customer's customized requirements could be decomposed effectively according to the proposed method of requirement decomposition as well as by controlling the granularity of requirement element reasonably. On that basis, in customer requirement translation, improved house of quality (IHoQ) is constructed by combining the characteristics of requirement element and the demands of configuration design and using the thought of quality function development (QFD). So, a new approach of customer requirement analysis based on requirement element and IHoQ is put forward by integrating organically the technology of requirement decomposition and the tool of requirement translation. Accurate acquisition and effective translation for customer requirements could be realized by using this approach. Finally, the customized design of a money-binding machine is taken as an example to validate the effectivity of proposed method. © 2012 ACADEMY PUBLISHER.