QFD-ID: QFD-Forum Ausgabe 23

Aim: To describe the derivation of a consistent target-system for the early stages of motor vehicle development, and lessons learned.

The comparison and evaluation of product-targets derived from (1) market analysis, and (2) company restrictions / potentials (e.g. product strategy, previous products, existing / available components, available time and capital). The derivation of a vehicle must be primarily market-driven. However, this ideal process is always affected by company limitations. This necessitates: a look at the ideal approach (1) versus practical necessities (2); evaluation of the advantages and disadvantages of both derivational processes in industrial practice; optimisation through the integration of both approaches.
Illustration of the stages of the process of target-derivation subject to the controlling factors for premium-segment vehicles.
Aids and criteria for the creation and revision of the complete-vehicle target-system
Maintaining control of diverse targets through phase-orientated specification / itemisation and classification, using practice-tested criteria.
Evaluation of the quality of a product target-system during the early stages, e.g. likelihood of attainment, suitable degree of specification.
Identification of the relationships between product-targets and hardware (own components, benchmarking of components used by competitors, foreseeable technological developments).
Optimisation of product target-system, and conflict resolution (cost-benefit analysis, thresholds of perception) Acceptance of the target system by having centres of competence involved in creation process. Demonstration using a study from BMW's pre-development department.

Author

Dipl.-Ing. Alexander Mayer
Education: Studies of Mechanical engineering (Design and Development) at the TU München, Germany Job description: PhD Student at BMW (Doctoral thesis: Methodology for the setting of a consistent complete-car-target-system for the early stages of development; Lehrstuhl für Fahrzeugtechnik der TU München)
Dipl.-Ing. Steffen Köberlein
Education: Institut für Konstruktionslehre TU Braunschweig (Prof. Dr.-Ing. H.-J. Franke) (Doctoral thesis: Systematic competition-orientated product development) Job description: Target system manager midsize luxury convertibles, Methoden und Prozessentwicklung
Dr.-Ing. Stefan Danner
Education: Lehrstuhl für Konstruktion, TU München (Prof. Ehrlenspiel, Prof. Lindemann; now: Lehrstuhl für Produktentwicklung), Germany (Doctoral thesis: Comprehensive target management for market oriented development processes) Job description: General Manager Product Standards and Product Targets. BMW AG München, Germany Produktstandards und -ziele (Product standards and product targets) [Head of Office: Dr.-Ing. Stefan Danner] Dept.: Anforderungs- und Zielmanagement Gesamtfahrzeug (Requirement and Target Management Complete-car)

Target setting for complex products in the early development stages: case study BMW

Abstract

Author