Quality function deployment (QFD) - A means for developing usable products

In order to develop usable products, human needs and requirements have to be taken into consideration. By employing the QFD (Quality Function Deployment) method the human needs are systematically matched with the product characteristics, which can help to improve the product quality. In this paper the use of QFD in the area of ergonomics is discussed and a case study is presented, The QFD method was used in the case study to translate the needs of safety shoe users in the cold climate into product characteristics. The QFD analysis of the safety shoes revealed that the characteristics of the steel toecap were receiving the highest overall weighting, which means that improving the design of the steel toecap would lead to higher customer satisfaction. Relevance to industry The importance of developing products that meet the customer or human needs is a priority area in the product development process. With knowledge in ergonomics it is possible to reveal information of the human needs and requirements. However, in the product development process it also is important to match the human needs with the product characteristics, which can be achieved by using the QFD method. The knowledge of ergonomics and the use of the QFD method are therefore useful tools in designing high quality products.