LECTURE 4:

SETTING REQUIREMENTS
5 CLARIFYING OBJECTIVES: THE OBJECTIVES TREE
METHOD
In the Objectives Tree Method,

Design Objectives and Sub-objectives are generated

and relationships between them are established.
1. Prepare a list of design objectives.
Objectives are generated, among others, from
design briefs,
interviewing clients, or
discussions among design team members.
2. Order the list into sets of higher-level and lower-level objectives.
The expanded list of objectives and sub-objectives is
grouped roughly into a hierarchy.
.
The branches (or roots) in the tree represent MEANS-
END relationships.
6 ESTABLISHING FUNCTIONS: FUNCTION ANALYSIS
METH’D

BLACK BOX

WHITE BOX
 OBJECTIVES TREE & FUNCTION DIAGRAM
OBJECTIVE TREE
Provides a tool with which to
organise customer needs,
requirements, and design team
objectives into categories to be
used to evaluate the design.
FUNCTION
DIAGRAM
Provides a mechanism with
which to activate the design
process.
Allow user
User reference
input

Contain coffee Grind coffee Filter

Coffee
beans beans Coffee
beans
Mix remaining Provide
Contain Heat water to Percolate Dispense Stop Coffee
Water ingredients if overflow
water desired temp. coffee coffee heating beverage
user-selected safety

Power Cup/mug/
Milk Sugar container
source
 OBJECTIVES TREE & FUNCTION DIAGRAM
FUNCTION
OBJECTIVE TREE
DIAGRAM

Both provide statements of what qualities a design

must embody on the one hand and what it should
achieve or do on the other.

But they are NOT set in terms of precise limits.

“the design must “import human

be of light weight” force”
Does it mean Does it mean
1kg or 20kg? 1kN or 20kN?
 7 PERFORMANCE SPECIFICATION METHOD
Performance Specification Method

defines the required performance instead of the required

product.

It also describes the performance that a design solution

has to achieve but not any particular physical component
that may constitute a means of achieving that
performance.

Moreover since, Objective and Function Methods, do not

set precise limits to be achieved by the design, the
Performance Specification is also a QUANTIFICATION of
objectives and functionality
 GOOD PERFORMANCE SPECS. ARE ALSO SUBJECT TO THE
Source: https://people.utm.my/ardi/files/2019/03/20190331-Ardi-Chapter-6.pdf GENERALITY RULE:

Too high a level  may allow inappropriate solutions.

Too low a level  may remove designer’s creativity.
Different generality levels can be listed according to:

1. Products alternatives: (Vehicle or Train or Air-

Transport)

2. Product types: (Sedan or Lorry or Tipper)

3. Product features: (Transmission system or

Fueling system or Suspension)
 STEP 1: STATE LEVEL AT WHICH THE SOLUTION IS SOUGHT

Case Example: Aluminum Can Disposal

Source: https://people.utm.my/ardi/files/2019/03/20190331-Ardi-Chapter-6.pdf
ALTERNATIVES 1. Disposal by:
 crushing,
 melting,
 shredding, and
 chemical.

TYPES 2. Crushing by:

foot,
hand or
machine

FEATURES/SPECIFICS 3. Hand Crusher mounted on:

wall, or
floor
 STEP 2: IDENTIFY THE REQUIRED PERFORMANCE
Attributes Examples
ATTRIBUTES

Source: https://people.utm.my/ardi/files/2019/03/20190331-Ardi-Chapter-6.pdf
Size, height, breadth, length, diameter, space, requirement,
Geometry
number, arrangement, connection, extension.
Kinematics Type of motion, direction of motion, velocity, acceleration.
Direction of force, magnitude of force, frequency, weight, load,
Forces
deformation, stiffness, elasticity, stability, resonance.
Physical and chemical properties of the initial and final
Materials
product, auxiliary material, prescribed materials.
Signals Inputs and outputs, form, display, control equipment.
Direct safety principles, protective systems, operational,
Safety
operator and environmental safety
Ergonomics The man–machine relationship, type of operation, clearness of
layout, lighting, aesthetics.
… etc. ….etc.

Distinguish if an attribute is a DEMAND (D) or a WISH (W)

 STEP 3: STATE SUCCINCT/PRECISE METRICS FOR
Case Example: Aluminum Can Disposal EACH ATTRIBUTE

Source: https://people.utm.my/ardi/files/2019/03/20190331-Ardi-Chapter-6.pdf
Attach performance limit to the attributes as set by the customer or statutory
standards using a metric-value combination.
Attributes Metric Value

The crusher should fit into the boot Dimensions 20 x 20 x 20 cm

of a car
Should reduce the volume of can to Cans crushed 1/5 original volume
1/5 of its original volume.
user should be able to load/unload Weight < 10kg
the crusher
retail price of the crusher should be Manufacturing cost < BWP 15, 000
affordable to small traders
The crusher should have fewer Number of parts < 100
moving parts
Children must be able to use it People able to use 5 yrs and above

The device must operate safely.. Probability of injury < 0.1%

…. ….
 STEP 3: STATE SUCCINCT/PRECISE METRICS FOR
Case Example: Aluminum Can Disposal EACH ATTRIBUTE

Source: https://people.utm.my/ardi/files/2019/03/20190331-Ardi-Chapter-6.pdf
 WHY DO WE SET LIMITS?
To limit the search space of acceptable solutions or to ensure safety

Source: Cooper, G., & Thompson, G. (2002). Concept Design and reliability. Acta Polytechnica, 42(2), 3-12.
 SPECIFICATIONS are a combination of Parameters/Metrics
Source: https://people.utm.my/ardi/files/2019/03/20190331-Ardi-Chapter-6.pdf and Values

Parameter/Metric Value
• Size of the product less than ....
• Mass of the product should be less than ....
• Material density less than ....

 The combination above is known as ENGINEERING

CHARACTERISTICS as you will note when we get to the
QFD METHOD

 And a good set of ENGINEERING CHARACTERISTICS is

proof that the design team understands the problem
 QUALITY-FUNCTION-DEPLOYMENT METHOD:
PERFORMANCE SPECIFICATION TOOL
QFD is a performance specification tool that proceeds from the
fact that COMPETITION between designs requires that
product attributes match customer requirements.

QUALITY FUNCTION DEPLOYMENT METHOD: therefore

translates CUSTOMER REQUIREMENTS into ENGINEERING
CHARACTERISTICS
QUALITY-FUNCTION-DEPLOYMENT (QFD) METHOD

Source: https://people.utm.my/ardi/files/2019/03/20190331-Ardi-Chapter-6.pdf
④
Correlation matrix
② Specifications
Requirements

Benchmarking
① ③ Relationship matrix ⑧

⑤ Target
⑥ Absolute ratings
⑦ Relative ratings
 1 IDENTIFY CUSTOMER REQUIREMENTS
The following research techniques can be used:
Requirements

①  PRODUCT CLINICS:
Whereby customers are quizzed in detail about what
they like and dislike about a product

 HALL TESTS:
Whereby competing products are displayed in a hall and
customers are asked to inspect them and give their
thoughts

 Whatever method is used, it is desirable that the

actual words used by the customer be retained, e.g.
‘I don’t like the colour’
 1.1 DETERMINE RELATIVE IMPORTANCE OF
REQUIREMENTS
Not all requirements/attributes will be equally important:
Requirements

①  Some may be Demands

 Some may be Wishes
Therefore the designer will have to establish which attributes
will heavily affect the customers’ perception of the product.
The following techniques may be used:

 Asking the customers to rank requirements

 Weighted Objectives Method (Chapter 10)
Thus percentages are allocated to attributes which should
all add up to 100
 1.2 EVALUATE ATTRIBUTES OF COMPETING
PRODUCTS
Requirements

This is equivalent to shopping for ideas or even stealing:

①
 Teaching Model by Group A is smarter than by
Group B

 Objective tree diagram by Group A is ……..

 2 DRAW A MATRIX OF ATTRIBUTES AGAINST
ENG. CHARACT.
② Specifications

Since customers cannot state their requirements in terms of

engineering characteristics:

E.g. a buyer might want a responsive car but may not know
anything about TORQUE

The characteristics must be real and measurable

The characteristics are listed horizontally along the top edge

 2.1 RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN ATTRIBUTES AND
CHARACT.
② Specifications
Requirements

①
 2.2
QUALITY FUNCTION DEPLOYMENT EXPANDED

Source:https://people.utm.my/ardi/files/2019/03/20190331-Ardi-Chapter-6.pdf
 1.IN SUMMARY: PERFORMANCE SPECIFICATION METHOD

Since: the OBJECTIVE TREE and FUNCTION ANALYSIS

Methods, do not set precise limits to be
achieved by the design.

The: Performance Specification Method

Defined as: a QUANTIFICATION of objectives and

functionality

was proposed
 2. QUALITY-FUNCTION-DEPLOYMENT

Since: there is intense competition between designs

and design firms

The: Quality Function Deployment method

Defined as: The matching of product attributes to

customer requirements/The translation of
customer requirements into engineering
characteristics

was proposed
3. QUALITY-FUNCTION-DEPLOYMENT: PROCEDURE
1. Know your customer [THE WHO]
2. Compilation of customer’s requirement or desired PRODUCT ATTRIBUTES
through market research techniques, product clinics, and hall tests
[THE WHAT]
2.1. Determination of the relative importance of the customer’s requirements
or desired PRODUCT ATTRIBUTES
[THE WHO] vs [THE WHAT] …..[WEIGHTING THE WHAT]
3. Generation of appropriate engineering characteristics to all the customer’s
requirements or desired PRODUCT ATTRIBUTES
[THE HOW]
4. Draw a matrix between product attributes and engineering characteristics
[THE WHAT] vs [THE HOW]
5. Identify interactions between engineering characteristics
[THE HOW] vs [THE HOW]
6. Evaluation of the attributes of competing products
[THE NOW]
7. Set target figures to be achieved by the engineering characteristics
[THE HOW MUCH]
 4.1 QUALITY-FUNCTION-DEPLOYMENT

Source:https://people.utm.my/ardi/files/2019/03/20190331-Ardi-Chapter-6.pdf
④
HOW vs HOW
WHO ② HOW? NOW

⑧ ⑧
WHO NOW
③ WHAT vs HOW
vs vs
WHAT WHAT

⑤ HOW MUCH?
4.2 QUALITY-FUNCTION-DEPLOYMENT

④HOW vs HOW
② HOW?

1
 2.1 RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN ATTRIBUTES AND
CHARACT.
② Specifications
Requirements

①
 Assignment Due on Friday 02 May 2022

Part 1: For your group project, prepare the following:

1.Performance Design Specifications, and

2.Quality Function Deployment diagrams

Both activities are to be carried out in your groups, thus only one
report per group will be accepted.
 BREAKDOWN OVERALL FUNCTION
INTO SUB FUNCTIONS [WHITE BOX
MODEL]
Example 2: Function Analysis (Automatic teamaker)
[2]