R . I . T Mechanical Engineering

Design Project Management!

Voice of the Customer: Background Research and Affinity Diagrams

Rochester Institute of Technology Mechanical Engineering Department

Rochester, NY USA

R . I . T Mechanical Engineering

Session Objectives!

•  Introduce Affinity Diagrams"•  Discuss background research"•  Practice affinity diagram"•  Work time: review proposed interview list and

questions with guide"

R . I . T Mechanical Engineering

Session Objectives!

•  Introduce Affinity Diagrams"•  Discuss background research"•  Practice affinity diagram"•  Work time: review proposed interview list and

questions with guide"

R . I . T Mechanical Engineering

Preview of next steps!

•  Translate customer statements to needs"•  Organize needs into groups"•  Order groups in importance"•  Create functions that need to be accomplished"•  Create numerical specifications"•  Use engineering analysis to determine if these

specifications are reasonable"

R . I . T Mechanical Engineering

Needs translation!•  Focus on what it needs to do not how you accomplish it."•  Use positive statements"•  “I drop this thing all the time”"•  Correct: Product operates normally after being dropped

repeatedly"•  Incorrect: The product is rugged"•  Incorrect: The product needs a magnetic holder so it

does not get dropped"•  Incorrect: The product is made out of rubber so it

bounces when dropped"

From Ulrich and Eppinger

R . I . T Mechanical Engineering

Needs translation!

•  Use positive, not negative statements"

R . I . T Mechanical Engineering

Are there any themes?(Affinity Diagrams, KJ method)!

•  Write each need on a sticky note or card"•  Add more if something else come up when reading

other’s notes"•  Group according to similarity "

•  Take items that seem to belong together and group them in a clear space"

•  It’s ok to move things around or rearrange others groups till it makes sense"

•  No discussing notes or groups until all items are in a group (groups of one are ok)"

•  Name groups (each person do this without discussion) (use nouns, “hand interface problems”)"

R . I . T Mechanical Engineering

•  http://www.adamatorres.com/gallery-project/wp-content/uploads/2008/09/l-640-480-0487ec2f-3871-4605-ac29-06bd03e243841.jpeg"

R . I . T Mechanical Engineering

Case Study from Spring 2011-3

Data sorted by stakeholder ê

Data sorted by common theme

R . I . T Mechanical Engineering

By Stakeholder

R . I . T Mechanical Engineering

By Theme

R . I . T Mechanical Engineering

Questions?!

R . I . T Mechanical Engineering

Session Objectives!

•  Introduce Affinity Diagrams"•  Discuss background research"•  Practice affinity diagram"•  Work time: review proposed interview list and

questions with guide"

R . I . T Mechanical Engineering

Why do we need background research?!

R . I . T Mechanical Engineering

Why do we need background research?!

•  Know what you’re talking about when you go to interviews"•  Current standards and regulations"•  Current state of the art (maybe still in research phase)"

•  Don’t waste interview subjects’ time"•  Know who your competitors are"

R . I . T Mechanical Engineering

Where can you find background information?!

R . I . T Mechanical Engineering

Session Objectives!

•  Introduce Affinity Diagrams"•  Discuss background research"•  Practice affinity diagram"•  Work time: review proposed interview list and

questions with guide"

R . I . T Mechanical Engineering

Sources for Background Research!

•  Wallace Library website: http://library.rit.edu/ "•  Wallace Library Database finder:

http://library.rit.edu/dbfinder/index.php?query=*%3A*&fq[]=subject:%22Engineering+%2F+Technology%22 "•  ASME"•  ASTM"•  IEEE"

•  Patent Office: http://www.uspto.gov/"

R . I . T Mechanical Engineering

R . I . T Mechanical Engineering

Sorting Through Information!

•  Narrow your search"•  Scan abstracts, not full papers"•  Look for “Special Issue” or conference from a

professional society subdivision:"•  Ex: Not IMECE (ASME annual conference) but SBC

(ASME Summer Bioengineering Conference)"•  Summarize results, sort by theme"•  Don’t go too deep yet "

•  Wait until you know what your focus is!"

R . I . T Mechanical Engineering

Know your sources!!

•  Journal article"•  Peer-reviewed, extensive work complete"

•  Published standards"•  Peer-reviewed, consensus of practicing industry

specialists"•  Conference paper"

•  May be peer-reviewed, rapid publication, interim publication"

•  Society magazine"•  Current topics, no peer review, ideas for other sources"

R . I . T Mechanical Engineering

Know your sources!!

•  Patents"•  Extensively reviewed, may not have been put into

practice"•  Web articles"

•  Check for source: opinion piece, journalistic piece, reviewed publication?"

•  Textbooks"•  Well-established information, much peer review, not

cutting-edge."

R . I . T Mechanical Engineering

Know your sources!!•  Other internet-based sources"

•  Prior MSD team websites: https://edge.rit.edu/edge/Resources/public/Project%20Archives or current teams: https://edge.rit.edu/edge/Resources/public/CurrentProjects "

•  Spec sheets, User guides/tutorials"•  Company websites"

•  Trade shows or trade publications"•  Mass media"

•  Newspapers, magazines"•  Radio, TV shows"

R . I . T Mechanical Engineering

Know your sources!!

•  Classroom resources"•  Lecture notes"•  Recorded lectures/videos"

•  Other student work"•  Thesis or dissertation"•  Seminars"•  Project reports"

R . I . T Mechanical Engineering

Session Objectives!

•  Introduce Affinity Diagrams"•  Discuss background research"•  Practice affinity diagram"•  Work time: review proposed interview list and

questions with guide"

R . I . T Mechanical Engineering

Next: Review with your Guide!

•  Use the remainder of the class to plan with your team"•  Review stakeholder groups"•  Review representative stakeholders to contact"•  Review questions"•  Team follow-up on progress"

•  Report back at end of class with list of stakeholders"