What does Quality Function Deployment primarily focus on?

Quality Function Deployment (QFD) is a structured approach to ensure that the voice of the customer is captured and integrated into the product development process. It utilizes tools such as the House of Quality to translate customer needs and expectations into specific technical requirements, thereby ensuring that the final product aligns closely with what customers desire.

The primary focus of QFD is to enhance customer satisfaction by incorporating their feedback directly into various stages of development. This method not only helps in defining product specifications but also aids cross-functional teams in understanding customer priorities. By systematically aligning product features with customer expectations, QFD contributes to higher product quality and improved market competitiveness.

While minimizing production costs, speeding up the design process, and enhancing employee training may be relevant in the broader context of operations management or product development, they do not capture the essence of what QFD aims to achieve. QFD’s core intention is to bridge the gap between customer requirements and engineering characteristics, solidifying its role as a pivotal tool in customer-centered product design.