To make things clearer, we will now go through all the aforementioned steps with a simple example and put a QFD matrix together at the end. For example, imagine that you want to put a new hammer on the market. First, you must define your target group. This naturally includes carpenters but also DIYers. You might therefore collect the following characteristics:
- Men and women over the age of 20
- Mid to high income
- Professionalism and durability are very important to the target group
From this group, you must now select as diverse a range of test subjects as possible for the customer analysis. Use questionnaires to find out what your customers’ requirements are and which characteristics are the most important to them:
- Perfectly crafted (50 points)
- Comfortable grip (15 points)
- Comfortable weight (15 points)
- Long guarantee (20 points)
As customers want the product to last practically forever, they would be willing to pay a higher price.
Next, you must compare your product with that of your competitors. The test subjects selected from your target group can help here too, since your customers’ opinions must remain at the forefront of your considerations. Note down whether your hammer performs better, worse, or the same for the different requirements.
Finally, the components of the hammer must be examined even more carefully. Let’s imagine that your hammer has the following characteristics:
- Wooden handle
- Steel head
- Joint
- Rubber grip
- Lifetime guarantee
- Protective cover
You can now enter all the information collected in the QFD matrix and build ahouse of quality.