SOFTWARE QUALITY FUNCTION DEPLOYMENT - Software Design for Six-Sigma: A Roadmap for Excellence - page 319

Affinity Diagram
Example: Supply Chain

Price
deflation

Affordable
organization

Higher Level

Fast Compliant Conforming

Material
meets
requirements

Proper
approval
Competitive
bids
No
improper
behavior

Next
day
office
supplies

Greater
value
each
year

On-
time
deliveries

Compensation
and benefits

Long-
term
agreements

Lower Level

Number of
buyers

FIGURE 12.6 Affinity diagram.

customers' terminology (e.g., “easy to learn”) and are accompanied by a detailed
definition—the QFD version of a data dictionary. Stick with the language of the
customer and think about how they speak when angered or satisfied; this is generally
their natural language. These voices need to be prioritized and synthesized into rank
order of importance. The two most common methods are the affinity diagram (see
Figure 12.6) and Kano analysis. We will cover the Kano model (see Figure 12.6)
before taking the prioritized CTSs into Room #1 of HOQ 2.
When collecting the VOC, make sure that it is not the voice of code or voice of
boss. Although the QFD is a robust methodology, if you start with a poor foundation,
then it will be exacerbated throughout the process.

12.7 KANO MODEL

In the context of DFSS, customer attributes are potential benefits that the customer
could receive from the design and are characterized by qualitative and quantitative
data. Each attribute is ranked according to its relative importance to the customer. This
ranking is based on the customer's satisfaction with similar design entities featuring
that attribute.
The understanding of customer expectations (wants and needs) and delights (wow
factors) by the design team is a prerequisite to further development and is, there-
fore, the most important action prior to starting the other conceptual representation
(Chapters: 4 and 13). The fulfillment of these expectations and the provision of dif-
ferentiating delighters (unspoken wants) will lead to satisfaction. This satisfaction
ultimately will determine what software functionality and features the customer is
going to endorse and buy. In doing so, the software DFSS team needs to identify
constraints that limit the delivery of such satisfaction. Constraints present opportu-
nities to exceed expectations and create delighters. The identification of customer