Design Process: Identifying Customer Requirements

1. Week 3: Introduction to Design Process & Identifying Customer Requirements E1102 – Design Fundamental Using Advanced Computer Technologies Fall 2010

2. From Previous Class Design is the process of identifying and deeply understanding a problem or need, thinking creatively, using sound decision-making processes to identify the best solution, and using project management and teamwork skills to drive the entire process, implement the solution, test it, and modify it. 2

3. Phases in the Design Process Phase I: Conceptual design Recognition of a need Definition of the problem Gathering of information Developing a design concept Choosing between competing concepts (evaluation) Phase II: Embodiment design Product architecture-arrangement of the physical functions Configuration design-preliminary selection of materials, modeling and sizing of parts Parametric design-creating a robust design, and selection of final dimensions and tolerances Phase III: Detail design Creation of final drawings and specifications 3

4. Phase 1 to Phase 3 Define Problem - Problem Statement - Design Specification • Gather Information • - Internet • Patents • Trade Literature Concept Generation - Brainstorming - Functional decomposition Product Architecture - Arrangement of physical elements to carry out function Configuration Design - Preliminary selection of materials, parts, sizing,, etc • Parametric Design • Final Dimensions • Design for Manufacturing • Structural analyses Evaluation of Concepts - Decision techniques Conceptual Design Detail Design - Detailed drawings and specifications Adapted from Dieter (2000), Pg. 17 Embodiment Design 4

5. Phase I Conceptual Design: the process in which concepts are generated with a view to fulfilling the objective Define the problem Gather information Concept generation Evaluation of concepts 5

6. Engineering Design Problems Problem Area - Poorly defined Statement of Problem - Vague Information Available - insufficient Final Solution - Compromise of many solutions A design problem summarizes what is undesirable in a particular situation, and the problem is considered solved when an improvement in the situation is achieved and acceptable to all parties 6

7. Multiple Solutions For every design problem there are multiple solutions and it is important to accept the best solution you can think of Apple has been known to develop a minimum of 10 solutions for every one of their design problems. They then release what they feel is the best of the 10 designs 7

8. Problem Space …the technical area, market, and community in which your design effort will take place Establish your area of technical expertise Choose clients and problems from that area Learn about your client and your client’s problem Consider the larger implications of the client’s problem 8

9. Successful New Designs Matches a set of fully understood customer problems with a cost competitive solution Product developers use multiple techniques to obtain customer information, starting very early in the design process Understand what information customers can provide and what they cannot Examples: Snuggie, Slap Chop Not so successful yet: Microsoft Surface 9

10. Defining the Problem - Steps Identifying the customer needs: use interviews, focus groups, surveys, customer complaints Evaluate the customer needs: separate into musts and wants and prioritize wants Begin to identify the customer requirements. Clearly establish the relationships between the customer requirements and the engineering characteristics of the design With all of the above information, write a PDS. The PDS becomes the controlling documentation for the design 10

11. Who is the Customer? End users of the product Targeted Users Individuals / groups associated with targeted users Organizational members who are trying to solve the problem Associated organizations and communities with interests in seeing the problem solved 11

12. Understanding Customer Needs Key questions include: Which needs are critical? Which are secondary? How well are these needs being currently met? How do customers use existing products to meet these needs? What other products are out in the market? How do customers perceive current products relative to meeting their needs? Why do customers use the existing products? Practical and/or emotional reasons? 12

13. Defining Customer Needs Customer needs are defined as the problems that a product or service solves and the function it performs The focus of your assessment at this phase is What does the new product or service let you do? Not how! Customers have both general problems that need solutions as well as specific needs that the successful design must solve (usually related to the specific content in which the product will be used) 13

14. Needs Analysis Techniques 14

15. Phase II Embodiment Design:the process in which a structured development of the preferred concept is carried out Product architecture Configuration design Parametric design • Common Questions to Ask: • Will it Work? • Is it safe? • What function does it serve? • Will it be made from scratch, bought in, or made from a semi-finished material? • How does it fit in with the rest of the design? • What development will be required? • How long will it last? • How might it fail in practice? 15

16. Phase III Detail Design : the process in which the precise shape, dimension, and tolerances are specified, the material selection is confirmed, and the method of manufacture is considered for every individual component of the product NOTE: While many consider that the engineering design process ends with detail design, there are many issues that must be resolved before a product can be shipped to the customer. These additional phases of design are often folded into what is called the product development process. 16

17. Phases in the Design Process Cont. Phase IV: Planning for manufacture Design of tooling and fixtures, designing the process sheet and the production line, planning the work schedules, the quality assurance system, and the system of information flow. Phase V: Planning for distribution Planning for packaging, shipping, warehousing, and distribution of the product to the customer. Phase VI: Planning for use The decisions made in phases I through III will determine such important factors as ease of use, ease of maintenance, reliability, product safety, aesthetic appeal, economy of operation, and product durability. Phase VII: Planning for product retirement Again, decisions made in phases I through III must provide for safe disposal of the product when it reaches its useful life, or recycling of its materials or reuse or remanufacture. 17

18. Problem Statements/Design Specifications In order to carry out a design project successfully, two things need to be established as early as possible: A clear statement of problem to be solved, for which solutions will be sought; and A set of design specifications, requirements and constraints against which to evaluate the proposed solutions 18

19. Sample Problem Statement “…the Apollo Theater employees are not satisfied with their current internal communication system. There are many aspects of the system, especially checking, that are outdated and overly time consuming. The system involves an excessive amount of paperwork that has to be rerouted several times before it reaches its destination. There is an unnecessary amount of time involved in the process, resulting in a lack of productivity. The requested system is to be cost-efficient, yet easy to lean and understand.” 19

20. Problem Statements Effective problem statements put the problem in context (background), state that problem succinctly (what the client is trying to solve), and a short discussion on critical goals that the solution must address. In class example – … For fun – Microsoft Surface 20

21. Product Planning Information Customer requirements (What should it do?) - describes the customer needs in language that they understand Engineering requirements/characteristics (How should it do it? Refers to the technical aspects of the design Each ER should be measurable and have an associated target value of range Correlation between customer requirements and engineering characteristics 21

22. Inputs into Design Specification Customer Information from customer Market research Customer feedback Technical Expert information Technical research Technical community feedback Environmental Constraints & standards 22

23. Product Design Specification (PDS) PDS is a basic control and reference document for the design and manufacture of a product or process PDS finalizes the process of establishing customer requirements, prioritizing them, and casting them into a technical framework so design concepts can be established PDS is evolutionary, changing throughout the design process A PDS specifies a problem not a solution. Rather it denies the task by listing all the conditions the product will have to meet. This can involve a good deal of research, into market conditions, competing products and the relevant literature including patents 23

24. Identifying Design Specifications What do you want the product or process to be (goals)? What do you want the product or process to do (functions)? What attributes might this new product/process have to meet functional requirements (features)? What limitations must the design adhere to (constraints/standards)? Generate an specification list with requirements, functions, and features Design specifications to consider include: Functional Safety Quality Manufacturing Economic Ergonomic Ecological Aesthetic Life-cycle 24

25. Steps for Design Specifications Identify/prioritize customer requirements Identify engineering requirements Select target values for engineering requirements Map engineering and customer requirements Demands & Wishes PDS Checklist Mapping Table Do Requirements Satisfy Needs? Identify Problem and Needs Determine Requirements Yes No 25

26. Prioritizing Customer Requirements On approach to prioritize essential and preferred requirements is to compile information on demands and wishes Demands (D) must be met at all times or the proposed solution is not acceptable Wishes (W) should be taken into account, but only within acceptable costs. 26

27. Design Specification Checklist* *See Courseworks for Handout (located in lecture section) – Design Specification Checklist 27

28. Mapping Customer/Engineering Requirements (ex. Audio Power Amp) • Should have excellent sound quality • Should have high output power • Should be easy to install • Should be low cost 28

29. Recognizing Constraints/Limitations Physical constraints like size or weight System constraints like power, controls, balance (gravity), etc Resources like time and money Environmental conditions Ethical/legal Health/safety Manufacturability Sustainability 29

30. Standards Safety Testing Reliability Data formats Documentation Design methods 30

31. Constraints vs. Standards Constraint – a design decision imposed by the environment of a stake holder that impacts or limits the design Example: The system must use a PIC18F52 microcontroller to implement processing functions as per customer request Standard – an established way of doing things that ensure interoperability Example: USB Ports, D Cell Batteries Source: Design for Electrical and Computer Engineers 31

32. PDS Document Product Identification Market Identification Key Project Deadlines Physical Description Financial Requirements Life Cycle Targets Social, Political, & Legal Requirements Manufacturing Specifications PLUS - Design Requirements (a) Mapping Table-Customer Requirements/Engineering Characteristics for comprehensive design specifications along with (b) Design Specification Checklist) See Dieter – pages 110 – 111, Table 3.3 32

33. Stages of Team Development Forming Challenging Accepting Collaborating 33

34. Team Roles/Design Projects Primary Facilitator Secondary Facilitator Design Expert Prototyper Experimenter 34

35. Submitting Progress Reports Primary Facilitator responsible for posting the file to the team advisor Go to courseworks. Under class files, post file to correct assignment folder dropbox. One file per posting. Must be submitted prior to your class section on due date 35

36. In-class Activity In your teams: Assign team roles to each of the members Discuss smart technology and community selection Focus on Progress Report #1 as a starting point Talk to advisors for guidance! Weekly Reflection #3 36