DEFINE PROBLEM Determining Customer Needs Setting Product Requirements Ref: Chap. 4, Ulrich & Eppinger text Ref: Chap. 5, Ulrich & Eppinger text IDENT OPP DEFINE PROBLEM GEN CONCEPTS GATHER INFO IMPLEMENT SCREEN CONCEPTS HANDOFF Please sit with your team UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTADETERMINING CUSTOMER NEEDS As practiced in ME 4054 (Ref: Chap. 4, Ulrich & Eppinger text) IDENT OPP DEFINE PROBLEM GEN CONCEPTS GATHER INFO IMPLEMENT SCREEN CONCEPTS HANDOFF UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTAUNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA Some ways to determine needs… • My advisor said, “Do it this way” • Marketing said, “Here are the specs” • Team member Sam said, “Gosh, I would buy one!”UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA Another way to determine needs… • Determine who the customers are • Determine what information should be gathered from customers • Determine how that information should be gathered And then, translate that information into product requirements and engineering specifications Within teams, list main customersUNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA Suggestion for today’s group meeting • Refine your customer list • Prioritize your listUNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA Gathering Customer Information • Depth interviews of potential customers • Surveys • “On the job” observations • Focus groups Gather and report raw data, no interpretations….yet!UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA Depth interviews • Great for getting lots of info quickly • Can go into the “why” • Have an interview script…clear with team and with advisor • Take notes…of everything, not just what you want to hear…record direct quotes • Can be difficult to schedule • Be mindful of people’s time; ask for a specific amount of time and stick to it • Do over telephone or in personUNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA Surveys • Difficult to create a good questionnaire • Keep it short • Minimize essay questions (interview instead) • Need large N for quantitative data • Screen respondents…you want the right sample • Mail surveys…time scale wrong for ME4054 • Web surveys…only if you direct people to itUNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA Observations • GREAT method! • Be a “fly on the wall” • Observe environment where design will be used • Take notes • Best way to understand the user • Important for engineers to observe…and not simply rely on what others sayUNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA Focus groups • Generates group discussion • Can resolve conflicting views • More than just getting people together • Needs a skilled moderator • Sometimes done in special facility with 1-way mirror and design team watching • Requires planning, scheduling • Logistics challenging for 4054 projectUNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA What to do with the information… • Collect information as raw data, do not interpret as you take notes • See text for some great methods to organize and translate raw data into info you can use to design your product • Always check info against your common senseUNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA Example: Design of a Cordless Screwdriver Steps: 1. Gather data from customers 2. Translate into“needs” 3. Organize into a hierarchy 4. Establish relative importanceUNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA Step 1: Gathering Raw Data from Customers • Interviews • Surveys • Focus groups • Observing the product in useUNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA Step 2: Translating Information into Customer NeedsStep 3: Organize into a Hierarchy Step 4: Establish Importance # Need Importance 1 Maintains power for several hours of use 4 2 The SD fits into a toolbox 3 3 The SD works with a variety of screws 4 4 The SD makes a pleasant sound when in use. 3 Eliminate redundant needs Establish importance 1-5 (critical)UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA Step 4: Establish the relative importance of needs • Two basic approaches – Consensus of team – Further customer survey • A numerical ranking process is a common tool. For example: 1. The feature is undesirable 2. The feature is not important 3. The feature would be nice to have, but is not necessary 4. The feature is highly desirable 5. The feature is criticalUNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA Reflect on the results and the process • Have we included all of the important types of customers? • Did we miss anything in our information gathering process? Any follow up interviews needed? • What do we know now that we didn’t know when we started? Any surprises? • How can we improve the process?It makes no sense to create a design that nobody other than the design team wants! The bottom line… UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA Gathering “voice of the customer” is a continuous
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