Industrial Design Structure: a straightforward organizational integration of DFSS and QFD in a new industry and market reality
Authors: Frizziero Leonardo , Leon-Cardenas Christian , Galiè Giulio , Liverani Alfredo 
Published: January 2023

Purpose

The aim of this research is to enlighten the methodology model of Industrial Design Structure (IDeS) that integrates the internal and external customer feedback embodied both in methods of quality function deployment (QFD) and as basis of design for six sigma (DFSS) steps to systematically bring the information across the entire organization, saving overall product development time and resources.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper describes the state of the art enlightened to establish the disadvantages and challenges of other methods taken into consideration in the study like QFD and DFSS that, together with the need of companies to react fast to changes they need to straightforwardly implement product development information across all departments, leading to a mass customization infrastructure. Several application trials of this methodology have been cited.

Findings

The IDeS method has established to been able to integrate other well-known methodologies to gather technical specifications starting from voice of customers (VOCs) like QFD that served to canalize the generalist approach of define, measure, analyze, design and verify (DMADV) of DFSS in order to reach into a larger share of the organization and englobe by following the overall product design steps of an industrial project.

Research limitations/implications

The research approach chosen for this document presents the concept of a methodology ought to operate most internal branches in a company driven by product design requirements and guidelines. Therefore, researchers are encouraged to develop further studies on the IDeS method are required in order to adapt this methodology to specific management tools that would help to ease information gathering for immediate analysis and modification.

Practical implications

The paper implicates that a need to interchange information systematically across all subdivisions in the organization, as brisk response to VOC reactions is needed to thrive in the market nowadays, leading to a fast product customization scene. However, the industry is heading into adopting an individual customer-centered product conceptualization ought to be driven by design as a key for individualizing an object. Afterward by taking this concept broadly and adopting it would lead to implement a company organization that would be directly affected by the customer's input.

Social implications

The methodology described aims to enable organizations to portray fast and accurate product prototyping, by exploiting technologies from Industry 4.0.

Originality/value

This concept proposes a method to canalize the implementation of DFSS by using the DMADV approach, whilst assessing the challenges of adaptation and keeping up with cultural pace that impacts the behavior of buying and consumption and moreover implementing a seamless communication within all departments in the organization to share the development progress and change requests by using similar information technology tools. This would imply important savings in resources, whilst delivering quality products to the society.